Take a Walk on the Wild Side
by Mallobaude
Summary: Jaune Arc had always wanted to be a huntsman like his father. He wanted to be a hero. But as they saying goes, you can't always get what you want. Sometimes life doesn't work out the way you planned it. Sometimes you don't realize that it was all for the best, and that there's more than one way to be a hero. Cover art by TabletKnight.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** Don't you just love that fresh, new story smell? I know I do.

I thought I'd try something new and different here. At least for me. As you can probably tell by my choice in featured characters I'm going to be giving a lot of focus to two girls who have a total of four lines of dialogue combined. I think the Malachite twins are criminally (no pun intended) underused in fan fiction. Their designs are really cool and their setting and potential associated characters offer an entirely different atmosphere and setting for RWBY stories.

Also, crack ships are awesome.

Anyway, hopefully you enjoy what's to come. I'm not sure about what kind of update schedule this story will have yet, but the next chapter will be out in a few days. I also don't plan to let this interfere with Letters to Winter's update schedule. The plan is for that to update next week as well.

* * *

Today would be the beginning of a new life.

Jaune Arc dug his hands into the pockets of his blue jeans as he walked the streets of Vale, his head on a swivel as he took in all the sights and sounds around him. Never in his wildest dreams would he have imagined that he would be here. His village was small, homely, and lacking in the excitement department outside of seasonal festivals and holidays. When the occasional carnival or other sort of travelling entertainment came near it was a cause for celebration for all of the citizens. To go from that, a lifestyle which he had lived for seventeen years, to this, was a mind-blowing experience. He was seeing all kinds of new places, meeting fascinating new people. And it was all just starting.

He was a man who knew what he wanted out of life. Since he could remember being old enough to have hopes and dreams, Jaune could think of only one thing he wanted to be when he grew up. A huntsman. Just like his father. He wanted to be a hero like the man who had raised him. Like his grandfather, and his father before him. The Arc line stretched back beyond the Great War, but it was only during that devastating conflict that his family had begun to make a name for itself. The words of stories he had been told when he was young were still etched in his mind to this day. Names like Julius, Alastor and Azure were as familiar to him as the names of his seven sisters. Photographs and paintings of heroes from days past were as bright and vibrant as his own messy, blonde hair. Jaune longed to join them in fame and glory. He wanted to be the one to save the day. He wanted to be the man who one day young boys and girls would aspire to be like.

The very idea made a grin come to his face. _It's happening. It's finally happening. After today I'll finally get the chance to do what I've always wanted to do._

It was why he was here in Vale today. To begin the process the only way he knew how. In spite of his best efforts there were some people who did not have the same confidence in him that he himself possessed. It was not out of malice. Anything but, in fact. Jaune had been training to be a huntsman for several years now, but had never been afforded the opportunity to attend a prestigious school like Signal Academy on the island of Patch. He had been homeschooled in the art of war by his own father, and apparently his father found his skills to be lacking. Either that or he simply did not want his son to walk the same path that he himself had chosen. As a result the man had attempted to put to rest the idea of Jaune setting out to follow in his footsteps.

However, despite the fact that Jaune knew this decision was made out of love and care he could not help but be disappointed. He could not help but feel angry about it. This was his life. It was his to live. The mistakes were his to make. And the consequences were his to deal with. He was seventeen. At this age he was more than old enough to make his own decisions about his future. His peers of the same age were going off to attend schools like Beacon Academy here in Vale, as well as other prestigious academies in the other three kingdoms. Why should he not be granted the same opportunity?

Soon enough Jaune snapped back into reality. The colorful and flashy lights in the neighborhood where his hotel was located had long since disappeared from the surrounding area. It was clear to even a small town guy like him that he had stepped into a rougher part of Vale. The whole area just seemed, for lack of a better word, barren. Large buildings, many likely apartments and condos, lined the street around him. Built with red brick and large arches carved out for similarly tall arched windows, the structures looked rather plain and dull. One in particular stood out, however.

Jaune squinted to get a better look at the sign on the front which had the street address on the building. Honestly, who painted a yellow sign with words in an even darker shade of yellow? It was beyond annoying to try and read. However after pulling out his scroll and double checking the address he was looking for there was no longer a question of whether or not this was the place. He hadn't even realized that his pace began to pick up at the sight of the club.

He slapped his right pocket to confirm once more than he did indeed have his wallet with him. Not that he would have ever left the hotel without it. After so many years of carrying it in the same spot every day he would have felt awkward and uncomfortable without it in its rightful resting place. He made the same action with his left hand on the scabbard of Crocea Mors which hung on the left side of his waist.

Crocea Mors, the ancestral blade of the Arc family, was in all honestly more of a relic than a weapon these days. Unlike most contemporary weapons it did not have a secondary function as a firearm. What it did have, however, was a sheath which could expand into a heater shield. Both items would serve him well in the coming years. They had to. This could not all be for nothing.

The day Jaune had left his home was done under the pretense that he had been accepted into one of the Kingdom of Vale's many art schools. Following the Great War, the arts became one of the most important aspects of life in Remnant's kingdoms. So much so in fact that it became regular habit to name children after colors.

However art was more than just color, drawing and painting. Art was music. Art was literature. Poetry. Crafting. The list went on and on. When it came to his guitar Jaune's skills were above average. He had even begun to take up singing to go along with it before he had left. As a result it had been easy to convince his family that he had been accepted into a school which would further develop his talents. It was why his guitar case was sitting in his hotel room right now. It would remain unused, however. The only instrument he would need for the next four years would be the blade which hung at his side at this very moment.

Jaune was glad to have it too. The sketchy neighborhood made him happy that his Aura had been unlocked years ago by his father when they had begun their training. Crocea Mors would be unleashed only as a last resort. It had been one of the earliest lessons taught to him by his father. Violence was never the answer, but there were times when it was the only response you could give.

As he was about to cross the last street to reach his destination, Jaune stopped in his tracks as a bright yellow motorcycle sped around the corner before driving past him. The loud roar of the engine hurt his ears, but the colorful vehicle was a welcome sight in a place where the lights were dim and the buildings dull.

As he neared the doors he expected there to be noise. This was a nightclub, after all. Years of television had taught him that the thumping bass of the music was a staple in a place like this. But there was nothing. Only silence. Jaune pushed through the doors to enter.

Ahead of him was a small hall with several cheap looking chairs lining either side. An unoccupied podium stood off to the side of colored glass doors which allowed entry to the club itself. Perhaps this was some sort of waiting area for particularly busy nights? Or merely a place to sort through any undesirables who would not be wanted inside?

Jaune stood in the eerie silence for a number of seconds hoping that someone would greet him and allow access to the interior. Those seconds seemed to last for an eternity as he waited to take the next step on the road to glory. But there was still nothing. Not a single sound or person was present. He longed to hear the angry growl of the yellow motorcycle now. It was better than this. Finally Jaune made the decision to take the initiative and went to enter into the club. A pair of glass doors slid open to reveal the horror which he had never expected to find.

He felt as if he had stepped into a parallel universe devoid of all shades and colors except for black, white and red. The black floor he walked stretched in a square all the way around the central dance floor, making the central white tiles stand out all the more. Everything seemed to reflect the bright lights hanging down overhead. Was the entire floor made of glass? Somehow despite the impracticality of this it would not surprise the young man. The pillars of glass which stood on all four corners of the dance floor seemed to reinforce his suspicion.

It was not the color scheme that horrified Jaune, however. Nor was it the material which the place was made of. It was the condition of everything. All around him was complete and total chaos. Broken furniture was strewn all across the floor, the legs of chairs and tables snapped off to leave jagged wooden stumps which could impale those without an Aura with ease. Somewhere, perhaps on the other side of the club, was where those wooden limbs now rested.

Something terrible had happened in this club, and it had not happened long ago. The stench of dust was still heavy in the air, and the many bullet holes which littered the walls told him that a massive shootout must have taken place recently. Jaune could feel his jaw begin to quiver in fear and felt his teeth chatter as a result. He quickly suppressed the feeling. That was not the behavior of a huntsman.

Jaune unconsciously took a step backwards, and was met with the loud crunching noise of glass underneath one of his heavy combat boots. As he looked down to the floor he saw shards of glass sprinkled everywhere. It had come from a number of places if he had to take a guess. Either the glass structures which decorated the club, the windows or perhaps even the bottles and glasses which could be found on almost every table in the place. The answer didn't matter, however. Only the cause did. And whatever the cause was, it was dangerous. Maybe his first instinct was correct. Maybe he should just leave.

He was about to take another step back he stopped in his tracks at a sound. It was faint, distant and soft. It was undeniably feminine as well. Jaune could feel his heart hammering in his chest. Someone else was in the club. And whoever it was, she was alive. Whatever kind of massacre had taken place here, someone was still alive. There was no longer any question in what he should do. There was no question of what he must do.

As Jaune strode deeper into the club he saw that there were bodies scattered all around, perhaps a dozen in total. All were men dressed in black suits, broken and bleeding as they lay haphazardly on the floor in every direction. A massacre indeed. Whether or not they actually were dead was unknown to him. His attention was focused on the voice which was becoming louder as he was obviously drawing nearer to it. She was saying the same word over and over. It sounded like a name.

 _"Miltia..."_ the voice said weakly.

Jaune's hand unconsciously drifted down to the hilt of Crocea Mors as he neared. He could feel his pulse thumping in his ears. Sights and sounds were becoming faded and muted. He wondered if this was what tunnel vision was. He wondered if the attacker who had wrought such destruction on the club was still present. He wondered if the girl was another victim.

After stepping into the middle of the dance floor most of Jaune's questions were answered in an instant. To his right, in a spot previously blocked from his sight by furniture and very architecture of the club, were two girls.

A pale beauty with raven hair kneeled on the floor, seemingly impervious to the glass littered on the ground all around her. The white of her dress was stained with spots of red here and there, most likely as a result from the many tears and holes which dotted the once pristine clothing.

In her lap lay the head of another girl of similar complexion and color, only she wore red. Jaune could only imagine the wounds which were hidden by the bright, bold color of her dress. The first girl gently cradled the other's head, softly stroking her hair while beckoning her to wake up from whatever trauma had been inflicted upon them.

He did not know how long he had been staring at them before the conscious girl looked up. In an instant their eyes met, her bright green ones looking into his own deep, ocean-blue orbs. Jaune saw those eyes dart down to his side where his hand still rested on Crocea Mors, and the girl squinted suspiciously before looking back up to his face. The unspoken question of whether or not he intended to do them harm was evident on her face.

Jaune may not have been the most socially adept guy in Vale, but even he knew what must have been going through her mind. He slowly removed his hand from Crocea Mors' hilt before raising them both up chest high to show that he was no threat. "It's okay," he said in a soft, yet firm tone. "I'm not here to hurt you."

Those green eyes did not waver as they continued to look at him. The girl remained kneeling there as still and silent as a statue. It reminded Jaune of the reaction an animal would have to a human when encountered in the wild. It would stand there and stare at you as you walked, never moving a muscle until you had passed by and ceased to be a threat. It never knew that you meant it no harm, just as he meant no harm to these girls. Who would ever wish to hurt her or the one in red? And why?

Seeing how he had not received any kind of reaction Jaune slowly moved his hands down to his belt. Cautiously and deliberately he began to remove his sheathed weapon from his side, laying the scabbard down flat on the ground before softly shoving it aside with a boot. He looked back up at the girl with a weak smile on his lips.

"See?" he said reassuringly. "No harm here." He frowned slightly when she once more did not respond. "What happened?"

The girl's tongue flicked out for a brief moment to wet her lips before she spoke. "What do you want?" she asked.

At least she was talking now. That was progress. "I..." he started before trailing off weakly for a moment. He didn't exactly know what he wanted. This was all still so surreal to him. It almost felt like a dream. "I want to help," he finished.

If this was going to be the first day of his new life then helping was exactly what he should be doing right now. It was the duty of a huntsman to help people in need. And by the looks of it these two, no, all of these people were in dire need of help.

The girl in white spared a glance down at her unconscious comrade before looking back up to him. "A trick," she said simply.

Jaune frowned. "What?"

Her gaze once again drifted off to look down to the sheathed sword which lay a few feet away from him. "You think I'm stupid?" she said bitterly. "You came in right after she left. Here to finish the job while we're weak."

Jaune had no idea who the girl was referring to or what job she spoke of. Clearly she had the wrong impression of both him and his intentions towards her and her friend. At least he assumed it was a friend by the way the held the other girl. They may have been more than just that, as even from a distance Jaune could see the similarities of their physical features.

"I..." he started, not quite sure knowing how to respond to the accusation. "I'll call the police then. An ambulance too."

"No!" she snapped. Those green eyes of hers seemed to harden at the mention of the authorities. "No police."

He wanted to ask why, but Jaune decided that prying into details like that would only make the situation worse. Considering the reason he was at this club in the first place he could imagine why the girl did not want the authorities to be involved. The owner of this place was probably involved in a number of illegal operations ranging from simple fake IDs to drug and dust smuggling.

In any case he could not simply give up. He could not walk away from this, especially now that the thought had been planted in his mind that there might be a person who would come to finish the job.

Jaune ran a gloved hand through unkempt blonde hair in frustration. "Okay. What can I do to help?"

The girl narrowed her eyes at his response. "You wanna help?" she asked. "Go away!" she said, lashing out with an arm to point in the direction which he had come. The wince of pain on her face was proof enough that she was injured, but the fact that she had moved to grab her right shoulder showed just how bad it was.

Jaune shook his head, more to tell himself that he could not walk away from this rather than to argue with the girl who had just told him to leave. He took a few more steps, the crunching of glass sounding with each step he took.

An angry scowl overtook the face of the girl in white, and if he had to guess Jaune would assume it was because she was upset with herself for showing weakness rather than him refusing to follow her order.

"Let me take a look at your arm," he said as he got closer. "I'm not gonna hurt you. And I'm not going to call the police. Okay?"

The fact that she did not protest again as she had before told Jaune just how bad of shape she and the other girl were in. She was tough. She had to be to withstand whatever beating she had took and still be breathing. But it would seem that even she knew when she needed help. And while she may not ask openly for such help, she was not above taking it if offered to her.

Jaune went down to a knee a few feet away from them. He was careful to maintain a respectable distance from what in reality were a pair of strangers in a very vulnerable state. The last thing he wanted to do was be overly-aggressive. "My name's Jaune," he said. He figured now would be a perfect time for a joke in order to break the ice. "Short, sweet. Rolls off the tongue." At the last moment he thought better of reciting the last part of his usual greeting.

"So?" she said, clearly not impressed. "You want a medal or something?"

Jaune grimaced at the response. So much for breaking the ice.

Upon closer inspection of the pale-skinned girl he saw that there was indeed a correlation between the patches of blood scattered on her white and teal clothes, and the places here they had been shredded. Likely as a result of the glass which almost covered the floor like a sharp, brittle carpet. And while he could still not say with any certainty that the same applied to the girl in red, he saw that she too had tears and holes in her own dress.

What he did notice about the crimson girl was that she was armed. She wore wrist-mounted claws on both arms, each with a pair of cruel-looking, curved talons. It became painfully obvious to him that these two were not mere victims of an assault. They were fighters. Fighters who had just been beaten. He knew all too well the humiliation that came with that. Whatever physical harm they had suffered tonight was nothing compared to the blow to their pride.

"Well, no," he said, a little bit embarrassed now that his line had failed so miserably. "But it'd help if I had a name I could call you."

He saw the girl's teeth bite down on her lower lip before she finally spoke. "Melanie," she said simply.

A weak smile played on his lips. He was finally getting somewhere. "Melanie," he repeated. "Okay. It's nice to meet you, Melanie."

Melanie looked around for a couple of seconds. Jaune saw how she looked forlornly at the destruction which surrounded them. "Yeah. Real nice."

Jaune closed his eyes with a sigh. It seemed that he could just not win. He could understand why though. If he were in her position then he would most likely not be in the best of moods. Nor would he want to make small talk with a stranger. Even if they did have the best intentions.

"What happened here?" he asked again. He hoped now that they were on a first name basis with one another she would feel a little more trusting.

"Some bitch came in and trashed the place," she said. Her face lowered to look once more at the girl who rested in her lap. "I don't know why," she said, her tone softening a bit.

The girl which Melanie was referring to must have been the same which she had accused him of working with earlier. Or at least the one whose job she had accused him of wanting to finish.

Jaune nodded in understanding. "Like a robbery or something?"

"I don't _fucking_ know," she snarled. "And I don't care either. All I care about right now is making sure my sister is okay."

He winced at the anger, which while directed at him, was only done so as a convenience. Melanie may have been annoyed by his presence and questions, but she was not angry at him. She was angry at the situation. At the girl who had inflicted such harm on her and her sister for seemingly no reason. And most importantly she was worried about her sister's well-being.

Jaune could relate. If someone had come into his home and beaten up his sisters he would have snapped too. It wouldn't have mattered how much training and skill he possessed or lacked as a huntsman. He would have hunted the perpetrators down and shoved Crocea Mors down their throats.

He nodded slightly before continuing. "Do you two have Aura?"

Green eyes looked back up at him with suspicion. "Why?"

He extended an arm, motioning to an area of her dress which was stained by blood. "You're bleeding. I wanted to know if it would take care of itself or if I should help you treat it."

"Whatever," she scoffed. "Yes, we both have Aura."

Jaune smiled at the news. "That's good." He looked around and saw the hundreds of unscathed bottles of alcohol sitting on the shelves behind the bar. "Now I won't have to break out the vodka to sterilize those wounds."

She gazed at him incredulously. "Are you like, stupid or something?"

He waved his hands defensively in front of himself. "No, no, really! Hard liquor makes a surprisingly decent stand-in for an antiseptic when you don't have the real stuff. I learned that in my training a long time ago. It'll clean the wound, and since you have Aura it won't really matter if it damages the skin. Only problem is it'll hurt like a..."

Jaune trailed off, not wanting to finish the sentence.

"Bitch," she said suddenly.

"Huh?"

"It'll hurt like a bitch," she answered. "Don't bother trying to be the knight in shining armor around me. Because I'm not a lady. And I'm damn sure not your damsel in distress."

Jaune nodded wordlessly. He would do his best to remember that.

"Kay, so you asked all your little questions," Melanie said sharply. "What do you want now?"

Was there really anything more he could do? The authorities were out of the question. As a result professional medical care was as well. The girl's Auras would heal all of their surface injuries. He just had to be certain about Melanie's arm.

"How's your shoulder?" he asked. "Is it dislocated?"

"I..." she said with clear uncertainty in her voice. "I don't know."

The strapless dress she wore told him what he needed to know. With no clothing to conceal the flesh the extent of the injury was apparent. Or lack thereof. There was no telltale lump to show where the ball had become dislocated from the socket. It was a safe bet that it was merely a sprain suffered from whatever battle she had fought in only minutes before.

"I think it'll be fine," he said reassuringly. Her suspicious eyes seemed not to care about such comforting words, however. Melanie remained on-edge at his very presence, and especially his proximity to her.

"Uh huh. Great to know that _you_ think it'll be fine."

Jaune smiled nervously. "Well, like I said. My training did teach me some first aid." He used a pair of fingers to scratch his temple. "Emphasis on the teach part. Not a whole lot of practice..." He paused briefly. "Like any..."

The uncertainty that had been in her voice transferred to her face in an instant. Jaune noticed this and did his best to try and reassure her.

"But I'm sure I could have relocated it," he offered, adding a toothy grin to try and sooth her concerns.

"Wow I feel so lucky," she said sardonically. "Why do you keep talking about training? Am I supposed to be impressed?"

"My dad's a huntsman," he said with a hint of pride in his voice. "So he tried to teach me a bunch of stuff about fighting and healing up after a fight. Growing up in the sticks helped a lot too. Not like there was a doctor we could get to in ten minutes if we needed to."

" _Huntsman_ ," she said softly. Jaune heard the disdain with which she spoke the word.

He frowned but made no comment.

Melanie looked down to the still form of the girl who Jaune now knew was her sister. It was painfully obvious now that he had the information along with being so close to them. They shared the same pale complexion, the same raven-black hair, and if he had to take a guess, the same emerald-color eyes. The only real differences between the two in terms of color came from their clothes and accessories. Where one wore white the other wore red. Where one wore cyan eye shadow the other, again, wore red.

 _See, you'll make a great huntsman,_ he told himself. _You're always paying attention to the details._

The girl in red began to stir. Expressions which had ranged from fearful to annoyed to angry all vanished in an instant and were replaced with just one now. Hope.

"Miltia?" Melanie said softly.

There was that word again. The very first word he had heard uttered in this building after he had stepped foot inside. Now he knew what it meant, or rather who it meant. Miltia was Melanie's sister.

Eyelids slowly fluttered open to welcome a second pair of green eyes into the room. Jaune wanted to grin with delight at guessing correctly but held his emotions back. He did show a smaller more empathetic smile however in support of the other girl who was just now waking up from the battle she had obviously lost.

"Melanie?" she said in almost a whisper. The soft and delicate tone of her voice didn't have the same edge as her white-clad sister. Jaune didn't know if this was normal or if it was because she had just woken up.

For the first time since meeting the girl Melanie had a smile on her own face. "Yeah, it's okay," she said soothingly. One of Melanie's tiny hands stroked her sister's shoulder reassuringly. "She's gone."

Miltia made a move to sit up. She placed a hand on the floor to help prop herself up. "What hap- ah!"

In a flash Miltia's hand shot up from the floor to reveal a long crimson line trailing down her palm where her black glove did not cover her flesh. A single drop of blood fell from her hand, followed by another a couple of seconds later.

Her Aura, in fact both of their Auras must have been in terrible shape. Miltia had sliced herself open on one of the thousands of pieces of broken glass on the floor.

Miltia pressed the bleeding hand against her dress, uncaring of the stain it would leave. Then again it would have only blended in with her blood-red colored dress, but he doubted that she had even considered that with the instinctual reaction.

Still though, it wouldn't do to just let her bleed on her dress until the wound scabbed. Jaune stood and began walking toward the bar. "Let me go get some towels."

The walk to the bar felt like miles as he felt the eyes of the sisters follow him every step of the way. Each footstep sounded like a thunderclap and every piece of glass which crunched underneath his boots was like nails on a chalkboard. Eventually however he did make it to his destination. It felt awkward to be behind the bar. Not that he was comfortable in front of one either. But he simply never imagined being in the position. He certainly had never thought about being a bartender before. No, there was only one goal Jaune had in his life. He wondered no if he would even get the opportunity to begin that journey.

After a small search he found something better than he had originally been looking for. A small first-aid kit sat on a shelf underneath the counter, most likely to deal with injuries resulting from broken glass. Taking the precious loot along with him he quickly walked back to where the two sisters sat.

As he neared he heard the newcomer of the pair speak again. "Melanie, who is this guy?"

"I don't know, Miltia," the longer-haired girl said. "I think he said his name was like, 'John' or something."

"Jaune, actually," he corrected her.

"Whatever."

Jaune knelt down before the two girls again, this time a little bit closer in order to actually be able to make the necessary physical contact with them. He opened the white box and opened up a small package containing a gauze pad. "Miltia, was it?" he asked the injured girl.

Miltia nodded wordlessly to the question.

Jaune gave a soft smile to try and gain her trust. "Let me see your hand."

The red-clad girl looked over to her sister for guidance. Melanie hesitated for a moment before nodding slightly. Then, as if the only thing she needed was Melanie's reassurance, Miltia presented her hand to Jaune without a second thought.

Jaune gently took the hand in one of his before he loosened the straps which held the claw in place before sliding it off of her fingers. He then began to softly dab the area around the cut with the gauze. At first there were tiny winces with every touch when Jaune made contact with the wounded area. Miltia's lower lip was pulled in slightly, teeth lightly digging into the skin as she sought not to let any sound escape her lips. He saw how her eyes were locked onto her hand and his treatment of it rather than on himself. Jaune fought back a familiar smile at the sight. Every mannerism reminded him of his little sisters.

Soon enough the area was clean and he could see that the glass had sliced the upper part of her palm, perhaps around one inch in length. He repeated the process over and over again using different, unblemished parts of the pad until the affected area was cleared of blood.

"Okay," he said softly, reaching back into the box to fetch another sealed item. "This part's going to hurt a little bit. Ready?"

The girl nodded weakly without a word.

And true to his word, it did sting. Miltia's hand flinched the moment the disinfecting wipe made contact with her skin, but Jaune held it in place long enough for him to clean the entire area. By the time he was finished the wet pad was colored an orangey-brown from the blood and dirt it had just cleared from the wound.

Most people would be surprised if he were to tell them that this was an all too familiar experience for him. Naturally he would not be referring to the part about treating the wounds of random girls he had just met at a destroyed nightclub. However, he was well-versed at treating the skinned knees and small abrasions that his siblings would suffer on a regular basis while playing outside. Usually such treatments also involved the magical healing properties of kissing them to make them better post clean-up, but Jaune knew that such an action would only result in him being the one in need of medical attention on this night. In any case, he felt as if he was playing the role of the big brother once more.

When he deemed the work finished he placed a bandage over her palm. Realizing that the awkward location of the wound would make a simple bandage impossible to stay on by itself, he took a piece of sterilized cloth from the kit and wrapped it around so that both ends met on the top part of her hand. It was amazing that a girl with such small, delicate wrists wielded such a heavy and deadly looking weapon on each hand.

"There," he said as he finished wrapping the ends of the cloth in a small bow. It was a practiced technique that his younger sisters insisted he do any time they required anything more than a simple bandage. "All better."

Miltia looked up at him, a seemingly genuine look of surprise in her emerald orbs. But before she could say anything another voice thundered through the air.

* * *

Today was not a good day. Not one bit.

Hei Xiong, known better as "Junior" to most, winced as he picked himself off of the hard, cold concrete. He could scarcely remember how he had even wound up out here. Nor did he know how long he had been there.

He pressed a hand against his throbbing head and grit his teeth as if he were trying to get through a bad hangover. It might as well have been one with the way he was feeling. Not just his head, but his entire body was sore. His mouth was dry and he barely had the energy to move. However he knew that he had to.

Memories quickly flooded back into his head as he replayed the events of the evening. Flashes of orange and gold dominated his mind's eye as he recalled just what, or rather who had caused him to wind up in the position he woke up in. That girl. That tall, beautiful blonde girl. As much as he was loath to admit it, she was all of those things. She was responsible for everything. For his current condition. For the destruction of his club. For hurting the twins.

His stance was wobbly at first but finally he worked up the strength to begin his journey back into his club. As he walked he felt his foot kick against something hard and metal. Looking down past the filthy, ruined clothes he wore he saw a sight which made his stomach twist and his heart ache. His weapon. What had once been a complex club which doubled as a bazooka when ranged attacks were necessary, now it was nothing more than a jagged metal stump attached to the handle.

Junior reached down to pick up what remained of his once proud weapon. A weapon which had served him well for the better part of two decades. It had been by his side even before he had attended Haven Academy all of those years ago. And it had been a crucial part of his life even after he had strayed from his once honorable path. Now, thanks to that girl, it was little more than scrap metal.

A guttural grunt of both anger and sorrow rumbled in his throat as he neared the closest entrance to his club. As he slowly walked the halls which led to the dance floor of the club he took solace in the fact that at least these areas were unaffected by the blonde girl's wrath. If only one or two floors of the building had been damaged by that psychopath he would consider himself lucky. With the way her hair was ablaze right before she had knocked him through the window he was surprised that the entire building had not been engulfed in flames. He wouldn't have put it past the little bitch to do so just for the fun of it either.

After making his way back to the scene of the crime he looked around to see the full extent of the damage. He doubted that anything on the dance floor would be salvageable. Decorative glass structures lay in ruin and the floor itself was covered in cracks and huge holes which had been blasted by dust weaponry. Even many of the adjacent tables and seats had been destroyed by the mayhem. Only a few sets of furniture on the entire floor had been spared any damage.

It would take a lot of money to repair this place. It would almost certainly clean out all of his lien reserves. However, money was not his primary concern. He pushed the thoughts to the back of his mind as his search for the two people he cared for most in the world had thus far turned up empty.

"Melanie!" he called out as he walked deeper into the room toward the dance floor. "Miltiades! Are you al-"

He cut himself off as he caught sight of the two girls he had been searching for. Two girls, and one strange boy. Junior's eye's narrowed as his vision fell squarely on the back of the blonde young man. The fact that he was blonde did him no favors when flashbacks of the blonde girl came rushing back to his mind.

At the sound of his voice all three people turned to look to the source. He saw how close the boy was to the twins, close enough to be in physical contact with both. By the positions of their bodies it looks as though they very well may have been just seconds earlier.

Junior glared at him, not in any mood to deal with any more trouble this evening. "Who the _fuck_ are you?" he roared.

The boy quickly stood up and turned to face him. By the looks of it he was unarmed, but looks could be deceiving. Junior had seen all sorts of unconventional weaponry in his time at Haven as well as the years he had spent out on the streets afterward. For all he knew this kid was hiding weapons in his shoes, his belt or that black and orange hoodie of his. One could never be too careful. Junior clenched the handle of his ruined weapon tightly just in case.

Before he could answer, however, Junior heard a welcome and familiar voice instead. "Hei," Melanie said with a smile. It was an expression filled with relief.

Very few people in the world knew Junior's real name. Melanie and Miltiades Malachite were two of those select few. In his line of work it was dangerous to let things get too personal. If one knew who you were they could use that against you. They could target your friends and family in order to gain leverage over you in business arrangements. As a result it was far safer to use an alias or false identity. In the case of Hei Xiong, the simple name of Junior sufficed for his new identity.

At the sight of his return Melanie stood up before offering a hand down to her twin sister. The other reached up to take it with her left hand, and Junior noted that this was because her dominant right hand was currently wrapped up in a white cloth that was stained with a blotch of red. Soon enough the two sisters were back on their feet, both hovering behind the boy. Junior knew that they would be ready to pounce on him at a moment's notice should he give the order, even in their less than battle-ready conditions.

Junior nodded to Melanie in acknowledgment of her greeting before returning his gaze to the boy. "I asked you a question, kid," he said sharply.

The boy's body language betrayed his nervousness as he ran a hand through his hair. "My name's Jaune," he said. "I'm here to see someone named Junior."

Jaune's hands found themselves drifting to his jean pockets, another sure sign that he was nervous. But Junior was not about to take any chances.

"Hands where I can see them," he ordered.

Jaune was quick to raise them back up in front of his chest. Only now did Junior realize that there was a ridiculous picture of a cartoon rabbit on the front of his hoodie. The idea that the kid could possibly be a threat was rapidly diminishing, but still, he would not take a chance until he was certain.

"I'm Junior," he said with a jab of his thumb into his chest. "What do you want?"

Jaune's expression seemed to brighten at the news that he was speaking to the man he had named. "That's great!" he said as he took a few hurried steps over before stopping in his tracks. It was clear that he was intimidated by the older man, even in his sorry state. "I talked to you a few days ago. Well not so much talked, but we exchanged messages with each other. I had asked about forging transcripts to get into Beacon and you told me to meet you here tonight."

Junior frowned as he searched his memories for what the boy was talking about. After a few seconds everything clicked and he recalled the conversation. Yes, he had told the faceless young man to meet him here tonight in order to discuss the terms of the business transaction. However that was before a certain girl had decided to show up and trash his property.

The tension in his muscles lessoned now that he knew the boy's intent. But it did nothing to put him in a better mood. "Look, kid," he said. "This isn't the time or place to be talking about that shit."

He could tell that Jaune's world had just been shattered by the expression he now wore on his face. Jaune took another step forward. "But I have the lien," he said as he touched one of his pockets.

"Look around you," Junior snapped as he too took an aggressive step forward. "You think I care about a few hundred lien after my business, my life, has just been destroyed?" His arms stretched out to gesture to the thousands of lien worth of damage done to his club. He saw how Jaune's head turned to take in the sight as well.

"But you said-"

He stopped Jaune mid-sentence. "Right now I don't give a damn about what I said, and I don't give a damn about you or your transcripts." He could feel all of the anger and frustration he was experiencing begin to boil over. "If you leave right now and come back in a few weeks, maybe, just _maybe_ I'll consider taking you up on your offer."

The wide, blue eyes of the boy only looked more desperate after Junior had spoken. "But the deadline to send in transcripts is in a few days," he argued.

"And that's not my problem," Junior said with a tone of finality. The distraught expression of the boy told him that he too knew that the discussion was all but over. However there was no harm in making it official. "Now get out," he said pointing toward the doors from which he had entered.

Junior saw how Jaune closed his eyes and let out a long, almost pained breath before his feet began moving. Experienced eyes followed him every step of the way as he watched Jaune go over to collect a sheathed sword which lay on the floor several feet away from where he and the twins had been.

Without looking back Jaune exited from the club. Junior continued to stare at the doors for a few seconds afterward to make sure he would not return.

Only when he was sure that the boy was gone did Junior let his guard down. He turned his attention to the twins. "Are you two alright?"

"Yeah," Melanie said softly. Miltia nodded silently in agreement.

Junior walked over to them to take a look for himself. Each of the girls was covered in bruises and dozens of small cuts from glass. Miltia in particular had suffered the worst of the damage when she had been sent flying through one of the glass decorations courtesy of a particularly nasty punch from the blonde girl.

The two girls were his family despite the fact that he shared no blood with them. However, in a way, they in fact did. All three of them had bled for one another on more than one occasion. In Junior's experiences, both here and back at Haven, it was your brothers and sisters in arms who were your real family. The people who would bleed for you and those you would bleed for were the people you could count on most in the world.

He saw that some of the men who had fought against the girl had recovered by now as well. They stood and walked over towards him in ones and twos, and soon most of them were milling around seemingly waiting for orders. But at this time there was nothing productive that could be done. Everyone needed time to recover from this. Himself included.

Junior looked around to see the black-clad henchmen staring at him through their crimson sunglasses. "All of you get out of here," he said, the tone of his voice kinder than his choice of words. "Go home and get some rest. We have a busy day tomorrow."

Not needing to be told twice, the gathered men slowly began to dissipate with mumbled acknowledgments.

Junior himself made his way over to the bar, followed closely by the twins. After slipping behind the counter he rummaged around to find three clean and unbroken glasses. He placed them on the counter where the two girls sat opposite of him. Both were clearly still nursing their injuries. A little drinking would go a long way in numbing the pain. Or maybe a lot of drinking. The night was still young, after all.

A fine Mistrali spirit was just what they would all need in order to cure what ailed them. Junior filled each glass with the clear liquid and one by one the trio knocked back the expensive variety which he had chosen for them. Right now this was exactly what they all needed. Pain relief. A way to let loose and forget about everything which had happened tonight. The problems would be dealt with tomorrow.

No one said a word as he refilled the glasses. Melanie was quick to down the shot once more, while Miltia slowly spun the glass back and forth with the fingers of her uninjured hand. After Junior too finished his drink he decided to finally break the silence.

"How's the hand?" he asked Miltia.

She answered with a tiny shrug of her shoulders, her eyes still locked onto the full glass in front of her. "I dunno."

Junior frowned at the response. He had come to expect such non-committal answers from the twins, and especially from Miltia. However it didn't change the fact that such an answer at this moment did not help to alleviate his concern for the two girls.

"How bad is it?" he asked Melanie. "Since I assume you're the one who wrapped it."

The girl in question shook her head in response. "No, it was that guy," she answered.

"Yeah," Miltia confirmed before turning to her sister. "So was he like, a doctor or something?"

"No, he just helped you with your injury," Melanie clarified.

"Duh, that's what doctors do, _Melanie_ , " Miltia countered.

A frown crossed Melanie's lips. "I know that, _Miltia_ ," she said sharply. "But he kept going on about how his dad was a huntsman or something."

"I don't remember him saying that."

"That's because you were unconscious."

Junior rolled his eyes as he poured himself another shot. Only minutes ago he saw the two twins on the ground together, Melanie with her arms protectively around Miltia as apparently the boy worked to treat their injuries. It was a side of them that few people saw, much less knew existed. The twins cared deeply for one another and would go to any length in order to protect each other. However that did not mean that they did not suffer from sibling arguments over the most petty things. The fact that they were twins seemed to make it worse, as Junior could not ever recall seeing siblings argue as frequently or as pointlessly as the Malachite sisters often did.

Melanie sighed and held her glass up, giving it a small shake in order to gain his attention. Junior wordlessly filled it once more, and it took only moments for the girl to empty it again.

Looking at the bottle he saw that it was already half empty. Both he and Melanie would both soon be on their fourth shots while Miltia still nursed only her second. He was not surprised by this in the least. Melanie had always been the more outgoing and aggressive of the two. Miltia's more subdued personality contrasted her sister well, but even she was capable of bouts of vicious violence when the two fought together as a team.

Miltia finally emptied her glass. After setting it down she continued to stare down into it. "So like, why does he need fake transcripts if his dad's a huntsman or whatever?"

"Who knows, who cares," Junior said as he poured the girl another shot.

Silence fell over the bar once again as the trio continued to drink. The normally chatty girls clearly weren't in the mood for conversation. Not after what had happened on this night. With any luck the memories would soon be drowned out in an alcoholic haze and they would be able to get a full and painless night of sleep. Then the real work would begin. The arduous task of putting the club back together and replacing any of the men who may decide that they no longer wish to be a part of the operation.

Finding competent men was always hard. Junior considered himself lucky to have the twins. He looked out for them and they did the same for him. They were also the two best fighters he had available. The grunts he employed to do his dirty work had little going for them other than having numbers on their side. They were expendable. And thus they knew nothing of significance when it came to any plans or goals that Junior had. Finding replacements for meat shields would be the easiest part of getting things back to normal.

After several more shots Melanie had her head propped up on the bar with one hand. She toyed with her hair with the other, hooking it behind an ear before her hand drifted up to thumb the decorative flower which adorned the girl's raven tresses.

"So I've been thinking," she said without looking away from the bottles behind the bar that her eyes had been focused on. "You should totally do that transcript thing."

Melanie may have been able to hold her liquor with the best of Junior's customers, but her small and petite body was beginning to betray her. He could already hear the beginnings of slurred speech coming from her lips. On the other hand, his large frame was holding up just fine.

Nonetheless he would entertain the idea. It was better than silence. "Why's that?"

"Well, th-think about it," she said before gesturing all around her with an arm. "This place is _fucked_."

Junior sighed. She was not wrong. "Yes, Melanie," he agreed. "This place is fucked."

"So, we need money," she told him. It was the understatement of the year but she had spoken the words like they were a scientific breakthrough. "He'll give us money."

Junior shared a knowing look with Miltia. The girl had not touched her latest drink for the last five minutes. Melanie had downed at least twice as much as her. Maybe it was around time to wrap things up.

"Not enough," Junior explained. "It'll take a lot more than an extra three hundred to fix this mess."

"Okay, okay," Melanie said defensively as if she were being interrogated. "Just he- just hear me out. What if, like, we have a mole or something?"

The way Miltia suddenly squinted at Melanie made him think she actually believed her sister was speaking of the animal rather than a spy. But Junior knew better. He also knew a decent idea when he heard one.

"Go on," he urged the older of the sisters.

"If you do this for him he'd like, totally be in your pocket," Melanie explained.

Miltia looked back to her untouched drink with a frown. "I think you've been drinking too much, Melanie. Hei's pockets aren't that big."

Melanie turned to look at her sister, a hint of annoyance playing on her lips. "I wasn't being literal, Miltia."

"I know that, I was making a joke."

The white-clad girl scoffed. "Your face is a joke."

Miltia's brow furrowed in disbelief. "We have the same face, _idiot_."

Melanie grabbed her sister's glass and poured its contents down her throat. "Whatever."

"Whatever," Miltia echoed, not caring about the theft of the drink she obviously had no interest in.

Inane argument aside, Melanie had actually brought up a good point. This Jaune kid who had made contact with him a number of days ago wanted to be a huntsman. He wanted to attend Beacon Academy. His father was a huntsman, but for whatever reason he did not have legitimate means to get into the combat school. However Junior refused to believe that someone who most likely grew up with training had no skills whatsoever. Perhaps there was an opportunity here.

Having someone on the inside of Beacon could prove to be very useful for business. Junior had no interest in the school itself. Nor did he care about their duty to protect Vale and its people. However, if Beacon was anything like Haven, there would be plenty of opportunities for the young huntsmen and huntresses to go out into the world and try to better it in more ways than just slaying the creatures of Grimm. The warriors of the hunter academies regularly had run-ins with local criminals. From simple muggers to the soldiers of the White Fang, there were plenty of threats that existed in the kingdoms that were not mindless monsters.

If Junior had insight as to who and what the targets could be, he could be one step ahead of the authorities at all times. Moreover, he could use such information to get an advantage on the competition. Roman Torchwick had hired a number of his men earlier for some unknown purpose, and in the coming days the flamboyant criminal would strike at whatever his next target might be. Knowing what the authorities knew about men like him would be priceless knowledge.

That kid might be just what he needed in order to get that knowledge.

Junior poured Melanie yet another shot before he pat her on the shoulder. "You know, I think you're onto something there, Mel," he said with as much enthusiasm as his gruff voice was capable of.

The inebriated girl flashed him a toothy grin before disposing of her reward down her gullet. "Yay me," she cheered weakly.

He shook his head slightly before looking over to the younger twin. "Miltia, would you help your sister to her room? She's done for the night."

The girl in red nodded before she stood up and placed an arm around her sister's back. "Come on, Melanie," she said before locking her wrist underneath the other girl's arm. They slowly walked away from the bar, and Junior heard the last words of the sober girl before they left. "Don't even think about doing that right here. If you want me to hold your hair back for you then you need to wait until we get to a toilet."

The club owner sat alone now as he contemplated just what the future might bring. Tomorrow he would get in touch with the kid. Tonight, however, was for him.

He looked over to the now empty bottle of alcohol he and the twins had consumed. Just like his club, it was useless now and ready to be thrown away.

Junior went and grabbed a brand new, unopened bottle of scotch. After he poured another glass he held it up in front of his face as he gazed over the wreckage all around him.

"To new beginnings," he said to himself.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** So you may notice I gave Junior a little backstory here. He's a former huntsman who graduated from Haven. I chose that because of Mistral's criminal underworld, and figured that growing up there would lend some credibility to him becoming a crime boss in Vale. But you may ask, if he's a former huntsman how did Yang kick his ass so easily in the Yellow Trailer? Well, my reasoning is...

1\. He's rusty. He's spent the past X number of years only fighting and subjugating other lowly criminals in Vale. At best the only Grimm he's had to fight are some lower tier Beowolves. His skills have declined since he stopped being a huntsman, for reasons which will indeed be explained in future chapters. I have entire backstories planned out for both him and the Malachite twins.

2\. He underestimated Yang. Up until she punched him in the face he just thought she was a pretty face. She took him by surprise, and he had no idea that she's a...

3\. He had no idea that Yang is a prodigy. Just like the rest of the main characters, Yang is exceptional. Overpowered compared to the rest of Beacon's students. As a result she can take on people far above the skill level of an average student.

So I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of this story. Much more to come soon, including a more in-depth look at the twins as we get scenes from their points of view.

Thanks for reading.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:** I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of interest and feedback this story got in only a couple of days. The amount of follows, favorites and reviews exceeded anything I could have hoped for. So I want to thank everyone who took the time to do any of that, or just read period. I know from experience in both reading and writing that getting invested in a new story is a hard thing since you never know if the author will just get bored with it and stop. However just like with Letters to Winter I will do my best to update this on a fairly regular basis.

Also just to answer a question that more people might have, I've decided to make Jaune a bit more competent in this story than he is in canon. The main reason is because I didn't want to just rewrite all of the learning and training he went through in Letters to Winter, where his character is basically in line with how he is in canon. So here Jaune has had some huntsman training from his father and his Aura is unlocked. Hopefully this change will offer a different experience.

* * *

Miltia Malachite stared at herself in the mirror. What looked back at her was a face that had been stripped of the copious amounts of mascara and eye shadow she wore on a regular basis. Right now in the privacy of her home there was no one to impress. No need to keep up appearances. This was her in her most bare and vulnerable state. It was an awful feeling.

The previous night both she and her sister Melanie had been thoroughly demolished by the blonde girl who came into their club looking for a fight. The stranger had certainly gotten what she came for. After disposing of the hired help it fell to Melanie and herself to deal with the nuisance and teach her a lesson. They had tried their hardest. They had given it their best shot. However even with their tried and practiced teamwork, even with their Semblances, the blonde had still beaten them.

She could still hardly believe that her Aura had dropped to the point where she had actually been knocked unconscious. She could not remember succumbing to such a state since her Aura had been unlocked all those years ago. It was a frightening thought. The idea of being so helpless and unable to do anything to protect herself still sent chills down her spine. Luckily she had not been alone. Melanie had watched over her like a hawk. Much to her surprise her sister had not been the only one.

Miltia looked down at the bandage on her right hand. The material was a clean and sterile white color, save for the dark brown blotch in the middle of her palm. The blood from her wound had dried over night to produce the color, and Miltia wasted little time getting rid of the now unnecessary dressing. Pulling the neat bow that had been tied around the top of her hand made it seem like she was opening a gift. In a way she was. The boy, Jaune, was it? Jaune had tended to her out of the goodness of his own heart and asked for nothing in return. It was a rare commodity in her line of work.

Looking at her flesh she saw that the cut she had suffered the previous evening had vanished, healed by her Aura. A good night's sleep had allowed it to recover, and it had doubtlessly went to work mending the dozens of tiny abrasions and contusions that she had suffered all over her body.

Thinking back on the previous night it was amazing just how bad of shape she had been in. After getting her drunken sister to crash face first down onto her bed, Miltia had the sense to go take a shower in order to cleanse the filth from her body. There was a lot of it too. Even fully dressed there had been a fair amount of dust, dirt and grime that had been able to find its way onto her as a result of rolling around on the floor courtesy of the blonde girl. Being sent crashing through a glass decoration had not helped either.

But those cuts and scrapes were gone as well. Her body was still a little sore, but she almost felt as good as new. Her ego on the other hand would take far longer to recover.

Perhaps a decent meal would go a long way in making her feel better. Food often did that for her, and the sweeter it was the better. Melanie may have had her less than wise vice of alcohol, but Miltia's own weakness was chocolate. It didn't matter what kind. Milk, dark, white. It could be plain, it could have nuts, it could have fruit. As long as it was chocolate it made her happy. It was a way to earn her favor, as Melanie had picked up long ago during their childhood, and Junior had figured out shortly after meeting them for the first time.

Looking over to the bathtub she stuck a finger in to test the temperature. Satisfied that it was hot, but not _too_ hot, Miltia decided it was time to leave. After exiting the washroom she made her way down the hall to the staircase that would take her to the bottom floor of the club. Junior was no doubt already there overseeing the cleanup process and figuring out all of the logistics involved with getting the place rebuilt in a timely manner. Since it was still morning he would most likely have something to eat as well. The thought put an extra spring in her step as she approached the door to the staircase.

She was stopped in her tracks when she heard the most miserable sound imaginable come from one of the many doors which lined the hallway. Considering there was only one other person currently inhabiting the floor right now there was no doubt as to who the sound came from. Even if there had been other possibilities, Miltia would have no trouble picking out the owner of the noise. It was one she had heard a great number of times over the years. She was certain that the girl on the other side of the door had only chosen to make a sound right at this very moment because she had heard Miltia walk by.

Without bothering to knock or speak, she opened the door to her sister's room. There, lying face down in her bed exactly where she had been left the night before, was Melanie.

"Miltia..." she said weakly. The girl knew who it was without even having to look.

Miltia huffed as she crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Yes, Melanie?"

"Help... me..." she said. Her left arm extended out from the bed ready to be grasped.

It was a familiar scene. Melanie may have been able to drink nearly every one of the club's patrons under the table, but even she had her limit. It just so happened that nine times out of ten she surpassed that limit when she started drinking. Self-control was not her elder sister's strong point. The fact that Melanie was a few minutes older than her vexed Miltia. The older sibling was supposed to be wiser and more mature. However Melanie displayed neither of these traits.

With a slight tilt of her head that her sister would not be able to appreciate, Miltia played coy. "What do you need help with, dear sister?"

She received a muffled sigh from Melanie's mouth which along with the rest of her face was buried in her pillow. "Oh my gods, just help me already!" came the equally muffled, but now annoyed words of her sister.

Miltia saw how her twin's hand began to clasp open and closed repeatedly as an indication that she wanted it to be taken. The girl was making no effort to move herself and was still flat on her stomach with her head so firmly planted in her pillow that Miltia thought it might have been filled with liquor.

She took a few steps towards the bed and reached out to take hold of her sister's hand. Melanie's grasp was understandably weak, and it was up to Miltia to grab her by the wrist and do most of the work in pulling her up. Slowly but surely the white-clad girl was pulled to the edge of her bed, her left leg falling off the side and down to the floor followed soon after by her right. A few seconds later the girl was standing on her feet the best she was able to. It took a fair amount of support from Miltia to keep her wobbly knees steady.

Miltia looked her twin up and down. She was still wearing the filthy, blood and dirt stained white dress of hers that she had fallen asleep in the night before. It was not surprising, as she would not have expected her sister to wake up, change and then go back to bed.

Taking a look at the bed she saw that now it was dirty as well. Typical. "I suppose you expect me to have your sheets washed too, right?"

Melanie mewled, burying her head into her sister's shoulder. "I'm sick, Miltia," she whined. "You have to like, be nice to me."

Miltia grabbed the other girl by her shoulders and gently pushed her away. Melanie's clothes reeked of alcohol and her breath smelled like vomit. It was effective in ruining her appetite. This was something that she did not want to happen.

"You're not sick. You're hung over and it's your own fault."

Melanie's response was another miserable groan. "I'll totes be your friend forever if you do it for me..."

"I'm already stuck being your sister forever," Miltia countered. "That'd be like, a downgrade."

"Exactly! You're all I have in this world," Melanie wailed pathetically.

Miltia couldn't prevent a small smirk from creeping onto her face at the sight of her sister's exaggeration. "We both have Hei and you know it," she corrected her. "Stop being such a drama queen."

For a few seconds Melanie was silent as she looked down to the floor. A moment later her green eyes met their twins once again. "You're all I haaaaaave!" she repeated as a hand weakly grasped onto the front of Miltia's shirt, somehow managing to sound even more pitiful this time.

With a small shake of her head, Miltia wrapped an arm around one of Melanie's and led her out of the room. Tiny moans of pain passed through the older sibling's lips with each step as the bright lights of the hallway hit her eyes. She reacted as if she had just stepped out of a cave to see daylight for the first time in years.

Maybe she was still half asleep, or maybe her brain was still half drunk and it had taken a few seconds for her to realize she was moving, but finally Melanie spoke. "Where are we going?"

"The washroom," Miltia answered. "Because you're such a sloppy drunk that you need to clean yourself up before going downstairs."

Melanie scoffed indignantly. "Pffffffffft. I'm not a drunk you're a drunk."

Miltia rolled her eyes at the ridiculous comeback, and rather than responding verbally merely brought her free hand up and flicked her sister on the side of her head.

The tiny action resulted in an disproportionate reaction from the other girl. "Owww!" she whined. "So not cool!"

"Whatever," Miltia said with a shrug. "But if I'm not cool would I have already drawn a bath for you?"

Melanie sniffed dramatically. "You did?"

"Yeah."

"Did you use the lavender scenty stuff?" she asked hopefully.

Miltia sighed. Sometimes having to put up with her sister's hangovers was like dealing with a child. "Yes, Melanie."

As they neared the washroom she was stopped as Melanie pulled her into a hug. She wasn't strong enough in her current condition to pull her sister off-balance with the unexpected gesture. "Love you, sis!" she said with unbound affection.

Miltia smiled softly as she returned the embrace. "I love you too, Mel."

She watched as her twin sauntered into the washroom, already working to remove her ruined dress before shutting the door behind her.

The younger girl lingered there for a few seconds just to make sure Melanie didn't require anything else before she stepped in the bath. After she was satisfied that there would be no such requests, Miltia returned to her quest for food on the first floor of the club.

The building had once been an old and unused apartment complex before Junior had taken it over. It was little wonder, as being in one of the bad neighborhoods of Vale made it a fairly unattractive place to live. In time it had lost its profitability and the land lord looked to sell it for a relatively cheap price. Junior had swooped in and taken the owner up on their offer. Shortly after he had taken to the streets and began dishing out his own brand of justice, soon bringing the surrounding blocks under his heel. He was a dangerous man, a former huntsman with the skill to back up his ambition. This combined with his hired help had ensured that his club quickly became one of the prime locations to spend an evening in Vale.

That was true until that bitch came by and ruined everything.

Miltia pushed open the doors which led to the main staircase of the old apartment building. Directly below her on the third floor was the storage area, where all kinds of equipment and supplies for the club were kept in order to keep the space meant for entertainment clean and orderly. Below that the first two floors had been completely renovated and converted into the familiar dance floor and surrounding dining areas. She could already hear the sounds of work going on as she neared the bottom of the stairs.

Dim sounds exploded to the forefront of her senses when she pushed open the last set of doors to reveal the bottom floor of her home and business. Around her were familiar black-clad men, only now instead of wielding guns and bright red blades they held mops, brooms and shovels. There was an incredible amount of debris that needed cleaning, and Miltia doubted that they would be finished when was time for them to leave. She couldn't imagine the amount of lien that Junior would lose not only from the rebuilding process, but also from the lost business. However she was confident that he would survive. He always did, and if he couldn't do it by himself then she and Melanie would be there to help.

She saw him sitting at the bar, his scroll pressed up against an ear as his free arm waved animatedly in conjunction with what she assumed was a heated conversation. He wore his usual attire, a white buttoned up shirt and black pants. The clothes appeared to be clean and fresh since he had no doubt thrown out the ruined set from the previous night. Miltia looked down to her own outfit and felt woefully underdressed in comparison. Her grey sweatpants and dark red tank top would just have to do until she could go out and replace her own favorite dress. It didn't matter to her, however. She was certainly not trying to impress anyone at the moment. Not when it would just be Melanie, Junior and the hired help.

As she neared the counter she could not suppress the tiny squeak of delight as she saw a pair of bags sitting next to him. Wasting little time she pounced upon them, opening up the larger of the two to find a plain white box inside.

Junior may not have been able to cook, but he did know how to pick out the best variety of donuts and other pastries for breakfast. Opening up the box her optimism was rewarded as she looked over the dazzling array of sugary goodness waiting to be devoured. Picking out a chocolate donut with chocolate icing she took a large, less than lady-like bite and closed her eyes in pure bliss. This was just what she needed after having such a horrible night.

The man next to her also never failed to remember the coffee. She saw his tall, cardboard cup sitting in front of him as he continued chatting on his scroll. She had no doubt it would be black with no sugar. She also had no doubt that the second bag contained a pair of pumpkin spice flavored coffees for her and her sister. If there was one thing she and Melanie could agree upon, it was that pumpkin spice was the best.

The minutes dragged by, and as Junior finished a call with one person he would immediately begin another. Miltia never realized just how much effort went into running this place. Nor did she realize just how many parties would be required to fix it. The parts of the one-sided conversation she was picking up painted a clear enough picture. Regularly scheduled deliveries would need to be stopped for the immediate future. This included copious amounts of alcohol along with foodstuff and other essential supplies. Certain services to the first two floors of the building would also need to be shut off to prevent any further damage as a result of accidents involving electricity, gas and dust. All in all there were a headache's worth of scroll calls that needed to be made just this morning. There were certain to be more to come later.

Miltia lazily spun in the stool she sat on and brought her half-drunk coffee to her lips. All around her men continued to work and clean. Heavy black garbage bags were hefted out the back door to waiting dumpsters in the alley. However even once they were gone there were still always more bags waiting to be filled. The occasional spill occurred when glass shards or splintered wood would tear a hole at the bottom of a bag, forcing the men to curse and repeat the cleaning process over. She was simply happy she was not a part of it. One of the many perks of being at the top of the food chain.

Eventually she heard her sister approach from behind, the telltale clicking of heels sounding on the tile floor able to be heard even over the dull noise of men at work. Miltia turned to see her sister in a state of dress which was better than her own, but still below their usual standards. A plain black skirt clashed with the tight-fitting white top that Melanie wore, her hair bound in a ponytail after stepping out of her bath.

The look on her sister's face silently asked what Junior was up to as she approached from behind the man. Miltia gave a soft shrug in return, more as an excuse not to have to explain everything she had overheard in the past twenty or so minutes rather than genuinely not knowing the answer.

Junior was apparently clueless as the girl approached, still busy on his scroll speaking to whoever was next on his to-do list. Melanie took advantage of the ignorance, bringing both of her hands up and flapping her fingers together to imitate two mouths talking to one another.

Miltia brought a hand up to her lips in an attempt to stifle a giggle but failed miserably in doing so.

The man next to her noticed this from the corner of his eye and looked to her before following her eyes up to Melanie. He threw an arm up in silent frustration before standing. "One moment," he told the other party as he started walking away. Once he was a few feet from them he continued his conversation. "Can you repeat that?"

Melanie triumphantly took the now empty seat next to her sister before reaching over to snatch the taller bag on the counter. "Ooh, pumpkin spice," she said cheerfully.

"Someone's feeling better," Miltia said with smug satisfaction.

Her twin reached over to grab Miltia with her right arm and pull her into an awkward embrace. "All thanks to you, baby sis!"

The younger twin was content to sit with her head pressed up against Melanie's side for a few seconds before the white-topped girl released her. Luckily the brash action had not resulted in either of them spilling their hot drinks on themselves.

"Only by a few minutes," Miltia argued.

"Yeah, but I got like, so much wisdom in those few minutes," Melanie countered. "You wouldn't understand."

"Whatever."

Melanie looked back to where Junior was pacing back and forth near one corner of the bar. "So what's Hei doing?"

Miltia shrugged. "I dunno. Talking to a bunch of construction people and stuff."

"Boring."

"I know."

Melanie next reached over to the box containing the remaining breakfast pastries. Miltia had made sure to pick out all of her own favorites and devour them before her sister had finished taking her bath. It was yet another penalty for the girl waking up in such a hung over mess. Perhaps she would begin to learn her lesson if she was stuck with the leftovers for breakfast every time she decided to go on a bender.

Her annoyed snort was a clear indicator that she was not happy with her choices. "Wow, Hei sucks at picking out donuts," she complained.

Miltia turned away to hide her guilty grin. Little did her sister know that Junior had excellent taste. For one of them at least.

The older twin grabbed what looked to be a jelly-filled donut, looking over it with scrutinizing eyes as if it had just fallen on the floor. Not that she ever would have eaten anything which had fallen on the floor to begin with, of course.

"Whatever," she sighed in defeat before taking a bite of it. The dark red jelly which oozed from the hole confirmed Miltia's suspicions. It was such a shame her sister would not be able to enjoy any of the chocolate choices she had greedily taken for herself.

"Could be worse," Miltia told her as she looked over her shoulder to see the henchmen continue working. "You could be them."

"Don't even joke about that, Miltia," came her sister's reply.

Minutes came and went as the two chatted over their coffee, neither of them bringing up the painful events of the previous night. Miltia was happy for that. The memories were not ones which she wished to relive.

Melanie brought up the idea of going shopping later in the day to replace their ruined clothes, and truthfully it sounded like a fine idea. They would be able to get out of Junior's hair, get away from the loud and filthy cleaning which was going on, and be able to just have a good time hanging out together in Vale.

As the two were finalizing their plans they noticed that Junior was approaching them. He was finally off his scroll and moved to take the seat on the other side of Melanie.

"Your friend's coming by in a couple hours," he told them.

Miltia frowned. Friend?

"Who?" Melanie asked for the both of them.

"The kid," he clarified. "Jaune. The one who... helped you out last night."

Miltia remembered now. Melanie, in her drunken state, had convinced Junior to take the kid up on his request to have false transcripts made so that he could enter Beacon. Aside from a little bit of extra lien in their pockets, the idea had been brought up to be able to use him for favors on the inside of an actual hunter's academy should they ever need one. It was one of her sister's better ideas in recent memory. Perhaps her brain benefited from alcohol where most others suffered from it.

"Right. That was like, my idea, right?"

Typical Melanie. She could barely even remember what she had said the night before but still wanted credit.

Junior sighed. "Yes, Mel. Your idea."

The girl grinned happily at the praise. "What time is he coming?"

"Around one o'clock."

"Oh." Melanie pulled her scroll to check the time. "That's like two hours from now."

Miltia rolled her eyes. "Yeah, Hei said a couple of hours."

"Whatever."

Miltia looked down to her right hand where a bandage had once covered her wounded hand. Perhaps she would have to thank the boy for his help once he arrived. For now, however, she needed to change. Lounging around in such casual attire was fine for a barely occupied club, but it would not do out in downtown Vale.

As Melanie and Junior started up another conversation, Miltia pushed her seat away from the bar counter and started her journey back up to the fourth floor where her room, and a far nicer pair of clothes, awaited her.

* * *

It was amazing seeing Vale in such a different light. Quite literally too.

It had been less than twenty four hours since Jaune had walked the streets of the city in his quest to find Junior's club. At night it was a different world where bright colorful lights lit up the best parts of the city, while the dim, orange-white lamp posts illuminated the harsher areas. Junior's club happened to be located in the latter part.

Jaune could hardly believe his luck. He thought that his dream had been shattered. In only a few words from the mouth of the club-owning criminal he had been sent away. When he had time to reflect upon the situation he could understand why. He was angered, saddened and bitter, but he understood nonetheless. The last thing the man wanted to deal with at the moment was some stupid kid with aspirations of becoming a huntsman. There were wounded men lying all around a destroyed nightclub, two beautiful young women who had been thoroughly thrashed by some unknown assailant, and the owner himself looked as if he had not been absent from the action. Jaune had chastised himself for being so immature. For acting like their little conversation from several days earlier actually meant something to Junior.

However things changed earlier in the morning. Jaune had woken up without the aid of the alarm set on his scroll, much to his chagrin. He had been unable to fall back asleep. All he could do was lay back in the bed of his hotel room thinking about how he was going to explain things to his family. After all, he had woven the tale of being accepted into a prestigious art school. He was supposed to have been gone for several months before a semester break would give him an opportunity to return home. At the time he had thought long and hard about what other lie he would tell the people he loved the most. What excuse could he have given to be kicked out of the school so soon?

Luckily he had not had to think for long.

Jaune had received a message from the last person he had expected. Junior contacted him agreeing to their previous terms and told him to come back to the club in the early afternoon. A smile of truly epic proportions had erupted onto Jaune's lips as he jumped out of bed, pumping his fist into the air like a madman. It was going to work. He was going to be able to attend Beacon after all. All he needed to do was get his transcripts from Junior and send them in before the deadline. Then he would be all set.

Somehow the poorer parts of Vale looked even worse in the daylight. Here no flaw or blemish could be concealed by the darkness which night provided. Buildings which looked passable at night could be seen for what they truly were. They were dull, filthy, wretched places where few would choose to live willingly. And yet in the center of it all, like a gleaming beacon of light, was the club. A diamond amongst the pile of coal. Or at least it used to be.

From the outside Junior's place still maintained its relatively clean appearance in comparison to the rest of the neighborhood. It was still a rather uninspiring building on the outside, but inside it was the pinnacle of Valean nightlife. At one point, anyway.

Jaune still did not know the details of what occurred the night before. He doubted that he ever would. However at this point he wasn't overly-curious. All he wanted was his transcripts and then he would be on his way to never bother Junior again. He was fairly certain that the man felt the same way.

Going through the alley as he was told to do Jaune could see that the backdoor of Junior's club was open. As he neared he saw a familiar man in a black suit exit with a heavy looking garbage bag in his hands. Swinging it back and forth to build momentum the man heaved the bag up into a waiting dumpster before wiping his hands on his pants.

Even through the dark red sunglasses Jaune could see that his approach had garnered the man's attention. He stopped and glared at the approaching teen for long seconds until they were about ten feet apart.

"Can I help you?" the man asked in a gruff, intimidating voice. Clearly he had no intention of helping Jaune at all.

"Uh, yeah. Hi," Jaune said nervously. "I'm here to see Junior."

For a few tense moments the man stared at Jaune. Or at least Jaune assumed he was. He couldn't tell with the sunglasses covering the man's eyes. "You got a name?"

"Jaune," he replied.

More seconds passed. Finally the man nodded towards the door as an indication to follow. "This way."

Jaune nodded in acknowledgement as he fell in behind the man.

Going in through the back exposed Jaune to a different part of the club as he had experienced before. He was in the kitchen area now, a place which was unscathed in comparison to the rest of the place. Here large sinks, ovens and grills dominated the scene. Tables for preparation filled the center while cabinets lined the walls above the work stations. It was a very cramped environment, and Jaune could not imagine what it must have been like to work in a place like this when the business was open. It must have been total chaos.

But then again, wasn't that the life of a huntsman as well?

Eventually Jaune returned to the familiar sight of black, white and red. Already it was beginning to look better. Much of the smaller debris had been cleared from the floor, though there was still a long way to go in cleaning the mess.

Over in the distance he saw Junior, the man looking much better in comparison to last night. He appeared to be speaking with someone on his scroll, no doubt having to do with repairing the building. As he and the man in black approached Junior saw them and wrapped up his conversation.

"Look, I'll get back to you about that, right now I have to go," he said into his scroll.

With the press of a button the call was ended and Junior shoved the scroll into his pocket. He looked up at Jaune with an emotionless expression.

"Let's go," he said before walking over to a small flight of stairs.

The stairs led up to what might have once been the second floor of the building, but all that remained now was a ring of elevated tables and chairs which surrounded the massive dance floor in the center of the first story.

Junior sat at one of the few undamaged tables and motioned for Jaune to sit across from him. He did so, and for a few moments the two sat there in silence.

Jaune wondered if he should start or if Junior would. After all, the dark-haired man had invited him back. Then again, it was Jaune who had originally reached out to ask the man for his services. The blonde was just about to speak up when another of Junior's men came to the table with a tray in his hands.

The man set down a pair of small glasses along with a rather large clear bottle full of liquid between them. The label was facing away from Jaune, but he had no doubt it was some sort of alcoholic beverage. He looked up to see Junior nod to the man, and as quickly as he came he left.

Junior reached out to grab the bottle before twisting off the lid and pouring its contents into the two glasses. "So," he started before picking up his glass. "You want to be a huntsman."

Jaune looked as he saw the man dump the drink down his throat with zero effort. "Yeah," he replied. "You can help me with that, right?"

"I can," the man replied as he refilled his glass. He looked over to Jaune's glass before their eyes met again. "Not your brand?" he asked.

It took a moment for Jaune to realize what he meant. "Oh, no," he said. "I'm just not much of a drinker, really."

A guttural breath rumbled from Junior's throat. "I don't trust a man who doesn't drink with me while doing business."

There was a hint of a threat in Junior's tone when he uttered those words. It wasn't the threat of physical violence so much as it was telling Jaune that there would simply be no transaction today if he did not play by the man's rules.

The teen was quick to pick up his own small glass. Looking down at its contents for a long moment he brought it to his lips before tilting his head back, hoping to down it like he would a bottle cap full of awful-tasting cough medicine.

His reaction to the burning taste was somehow worse than that of drinking the medicine. He blanched, his mouth and tongue quivering in response to the taste. "Good stuff," he said with a pained smile.

Another grumbling noise sounded from Junior's throat before he pulled out a piece of paper and pen, placing both on the table in front of Jaune. "I need you to fill this out," he told the teen.

Jaune slid the paper over to take a look at it. Written there was a list of information that Junior required, presumably for the forged transcripts. Much of what he was asking for was the kind of stuff one might find on a person's basic medical profile. Things like height, weight, date of birth, and so on. However there were also a fair number of unusual questions that he had no answers for, mostly which related to past training experiences and schools. Jaune assumed that this was where Junior would come in, and that he would be able to concoct some sort of believable story for him.

Wasting little time, Jaune went to work filling out all of the information that he could. The transcripts would have to be believable after all. If they claimed he was a five foot eight brunette from Vacuo then he would be kicked out of Beacon before he even had a chance to go through the initiation process.

As Jaune worked he heard Junior refill his glass. A few seconds later he resumed the conversation. "So what's your angle, kid?"

He looked up to see the gruff-looking man staring him down. To say it was unnerving would be an understatement. "What do you mean?"

"You want to be a huntsman. Why?"

Why? Where did he begin? The Great War? The Faunus Rights Revolution? His father? There were a number of places Jaune could start. But he supposed the simplest explanation would be the best one.

"I want to be a hero," he explained. "Like everyone else in my family."

Junior snorted out a tiny laugh. "A hero," he said whimsically. "Is that so?"

Jaune's brow furrowed in confusion. It was a good thing too or else he might have given Junior a rather annoyed look at his mocking tone.

Nonetheless he wanted to know just what the man meant by those words. "What do you mean?"

"You know that shit isn't what it's like in all the stories, right?"

Which stories? The fairy tales of knights in shining armor rescuing the princess from the dragon? Or the tales his father told him as a child about his own father? About his own grandfather? Jaune had a number of stories and fairytales that he could recall with almost as much clarity as if they had happened to himself.

"Yeah, I know the difference between real life and fairy tales," Jaune told him.

Junior shrugged. "That's fine. Some don't." He looked down into the glass in his hand and swirled the drink around lightly. "What they don't tell you in the stories is that when you're a huntsman you're going to have to do dangerous things. Bad things. Shit won't be black and white anymore, and it isn't always as simple as rescuing the village from the Beowolf and being on your way. You have to do what you have to do, because completing your mission comes first and your own feelings come second." He drank his second shot of the conversation before looking back to Jaune. "Take it from me, kid. It's a hard life. One where you have to live with the consequences."

Jaune didn't know how to feel after hearing the explanation from the older man. One thing was for certain, however. Junior had once been a huntsman. It was a revelation which he knew that he wanted to hear more about.

"You were a huntsman?" he asked, a sliver of awe slipping into his voice with the question.

He grunted in confirmation. "That's right. Emphasis on the 'were'," he made sure to add.

"What was it like?" he asked. "Where did you go to school? And why aren't you one anymore?"

Junior held his hand up to stop the line of questions which had just come his way. "Not why we're here, kid," he said as he tapped a finger on the table, pointing at the piece of paper. "More writing and less questions."

The blonde nodded before he resumed filling out the necessary information. However it did not prevent Junior from asking his own questions.

"What kind of weapon do you have?"

Jaune's eyes drifted down to his left hip for a brief moment before they focused back on the paper in front of him. "A sword," he said simply.

There was a short pause before Junior continued. "Really? That's it?"

The question caused him to look up and saw a slight frown on the man's face. "Oh," he said thoughtfully. "And a shield. The sheath expands to make a shield."

Junior looked at him blankly before he grunted an affirmation.

Jaune had never been self-conscious about his weapon before. It was an Arc family heirloom. It was used by his ancestors first in the Great War and then in the Faunus Rights Revolution. It was strong and durable. It had razor sharp edges which could slice through armor as if it was paper. It would serve him well over the next four years.

"No secondary function?" Junior asked. "Nothing for ranged combat?"

Jaune frowned. Now he really was beginning to feel a little down on his trusty blade. "No," he admitted. "Just the sword."

The man hummed in thought. Jaune wondered why.

"Well, you know your strengths better than I do," he said. "All I need to do is get you in the door. You do the rest."

Those words picked up the teen's spirits. He was going to show everyone that he belonged at Beacon Academy. He would be a strong warrior just like his ancestors.

After he had completed Junior's list he passed the paper back across the table to the man. He picked it up and began looking over the information which Jaune had put down for him.

"You're Valean, right?" Junior asked.

Jaune nodded. "Yeah."

"Alright. Well as far as anyone at Beacon is concerned you grew up in Mistral."

He frowned in confusion. "Oh. Why's that?"

"Because if we say you studied at Signal there would be a lot of people there who wouldn't recognize you," Junior explained. "And that'd raise a lot of unwanted questions."

Smart. Jaune had to give the man that. Then again he would not have been such a successful criminal if he had not been smart. And he most certainly would not have been able to become a huntsman.

"Yeah. That makes a lot of sense."

"Right. Now to discuss the terms of your payment."

Jaune nodded. He reached down into his pocket to fish out his wallet. He hoped that the price was still the same. After purchasing his hotel room for the week, the ticket to Vale and spending money on food, he barely had anything left with what he set aside for the payment for his transcripts.

"Three hundred, right?" he asked with as much confidence as he could muster.

"No, forget that," Junior said surprisingly.

In an instant Jaune's heart sank. Surely he would not ask for more, would he? If he did then this meeting was as good as over. Jaune could simply not afford any more than that. He had planned and budgeted out his entire trip to Vale thinking that three hundred would be enough.

"H-how much then?"

"A favor."

Jaune bit down on his lip at those words. They were not what he had been expecting.

"What do you mean?" he asked nervously.

But before the conversation could continue, a loud, energetic voice tore into the serious mood which had formed around the two men.

"We're back!" the female voice announced.

Jaune looked down to see a pair of young women strolling the floor like they owned the place. Two very familiar girls in fact. Both with black hair, one wearing it shoulder length while the other's went all the way down to her lower back.

They were the two fighters from last night. And just like Junior they looked a lot better now than they had only a day earlier. Where they had once worn torn and dirty dresses, now one wore a black skirt and tight white shirt. The other wore a dark red tank top and a pair of dark blue jeans which hugged her figure tightly. Both were undoubtedly beautiful, and the fact that they no longer looked like they had just participated in a combat tournament emphasized that beauty.

He heard Junior emit a soft groan. "One moment," he said before standing up and walking over to the railing that overlooked the first floor. "I'm in a meeting right now," he shouted down to them.

Looking over in that direction Jaune saw the two begin to ascend the stairs to come directly towards them. Junior's reaction was less than favorable, but Jaune could tell from years of experience that the annoyance he displayed harbored no ill will in it. It was much like the reactions he himself sometimes had when his little sisters were being particularly obnoxious.

It took only seconds for the two girls to reach the top of the stairs. The lead one wearing white did not look impressed at Junior's words. "Bor-ring," she said disinterestedly. That was until she looked Jaune in the eyes, a sudden realization dawning on her. "Oh," she said with a semblance of surprise in her voice. "It's the little huntsman."

The words themselves were not particularly scathing, but Jaune knew that they were supposed to be taken as an insult. He was anything but little, standing an inch over six feet tall and a fair amount of muscle mass on his body. He was also anything but a huntsman. Not yet at least. However Jaune remembered the way she had spoken the word "huntsman" yesterday as if it were a curse word. The fact that she had called him it right now was not to be taken at face value.

She grabbed one of the two remaining chairs at the table, her sister taking the last one directly across from her. All four sides were occupied now, with a former huntsman-turned-criminal sitting across from him and two trained fighters on either side. Things could go south very quickly if he was not careful. Of course things could have gone badly for him with just Junior, but with so many potential foes nearby it was more obvious now.

Junior seemed resigned to the fact that they would not be leaving anytime soon. The breath he exhaled contained the sound of a man who was defeated. Jaune wondered who these two girls were if they seemingly had a criminal boss wrapped around their fingers. All three had black hair. Maybe they were related. Junior looked too young to be their father. Uncle maybe? Even brother? Their behavior would make a lot of sense if the latter was true. Jaune could relate all too well to annoying little sisters having no regard for his privacy.

"You three have already met," Junior said, the edge in his voice having vanished since the arrival of the girls. For some reason he seemed a lot less dangerous now. Maybe it was because of the idea that he was just a huge softie with a pair of younger siblings.

Jaune shook his head slightly to drive the thought from his mind. He could not lose sight of the fact that this man was a trained killer and an extremely dangerous criminal. He needed to always be on guard. Maintain focus. That's what a huntsman would do.

"Mhmm," the girl in white said. Melanie was it? Aside from the hair they looked identical. But if his memory served him correctly then the longer-haired girl was Melanie. "So whatcha doing?"

"Business," Junior reiterated. "Your oh so brilliant idea, remember?"

A look of recognition formed on her face. "Oh yeah. How's that going?"

"Fine until a pair of distractions walked through the door."

Melanie laughed sarcastically. "Please, if I'm a distraction it's only 'cause I'm so hot." She turned her gaze toward Jaune. "Isn't that right, blondie?"

Jaune moved his lips to say something but the words would not come. They wouldn't even form in his mind. He didn't know what to say, not because he was uncomfortable or caught off-guard. He simply did not want to die today. To say the wrong thing would be to die either from one of the girls or from Junior. Instead he chose to say nothing.

The girl smirked at his silence. "Yeah that's right. You're speechless."

It was technically true, just not for the reason she thought. In any case it was an out and he would take it.

Jaune couldn't help but notice how Melanie was by far the more talkative of the two. In fact the other one, Miltia, had not spoken at all since arriving. He looked in her direction to see that she had been regarding him as well. When their eyes met her head quickly turned and her gaze shifted down to the table. She seemed to be more interested in looking down at her hands which were resting there than talking.

"Moving on," Junior interrupted. "We were just about to discuss the terms of our arrangement before you two walked in."

"Oh right, you mean the thousand lien he was going to pay us?"

Jaune's eyes widened a little bit at that, prompting him to finally speak up. "Um, i-it's only three hundred."

The girl spun back around to look at him with a finger leveled toward his face. "You shut your mouth, little huntsman."

"It's Jaune, actually."

"Both of you shut up," Junior said, the slightly louder than normal volume of his voice expressing his displeasure. "It's not a thousand," he said as he looked over to Melanie. A moment later he turned to Jaune. "And it's not three hundred either. Like I said, the payment will be a favor of my choosing."

Melanie huffed in annoyance, the air from her mouth hitting her bangs to lift them momentarily. "Whatever."

Junior took a deep breath to calm himself before he continued. "As I was saying, you will be performing a task for me tomorrow night if you want these transcripts done in time for Beacon's enrollment process. Think you can handle that, kid?"

Jaune frowned for a moment as he wondered just what that task might be. "You're not going to have me kill someone, are you?"

The laughter which burst from Junior's mouth was unexpected. He obviously could not even entertain the thought of Jaune taking another person's life in cold blood. Jaune supposed that was a good thing.

"No, don't worry about that," the man reassured him. "No killing. Not even fighting. This is going to be a little reconnaissance mission. Some real, genuine huntsman work."

Jaune nodded. A little bit of recon seemed simple enough.

"Alright." Junior folded his hands on the table in front of his glass. Perhaps a sign that things were getting serious now and that it was time to get down to business. "Some of my boys were hired for a job recently. Thing is, I don't know what it is. I didn't ask, and the guy who hired them didn't tell. In our line of work you try and go along revealing as little as possible about what you're doing. Following me so far, kid?"

The blonde nodded again. He didn't feel he needed to say anything yet. Not that there was anything important he could say anyway.

The man accepted his answer and continued. "After I got hit last night though, I want some answers. The bitch who trashed my club came in right after I got finished making my deal. May be a coincidence, may not be. That's where you come in. You're going to tail the guy who hired my men and find out where he's going, what he's doing, and why. Still with me?"

Jaune thought it would be better to vocalize his answer this time. Sitting across from a person who did nothing but nod might get annoying quickly. And Junior was not someone he wanted to annoy.

"Yeah," he said. "I got it."

"Good." Junior took another sheet of paper and began scribbling down details onto it before passing it across the table. "They're going to rendezvous with the man at the time and location written there. I want you to be there too. Follow, observe, and gather intel. When it's finished you come back here and report to me. Got it?"

Jaune took the paper and read the information multiple times before folding it. He kept it in his hands rather than stuffing it into his pocket. "Yeah." Holding the paper in his hands confirmed that this was real. It was going to happen. He was going to be doing what was essentially a mission for this man. His payment would be a ticket to Beacon. Doubt sparked in his mind. "You really think I'm ready for this?"

The criminal boss leaned back in his seat with folded arms. "You said you wanted to be a huntsman, didn't you?"

"Yeah," Jaune confirmed. "I do."

"Then consider this a dry run for the real thing. If you can do this then you deserve to get into Beacon. And you will, if you succeed."

Jaune believed Junior when he said those words. Junior had been there after all. He had done that. He knew what it went into forging the transcripts from experience. Just like he of all people would know what it took to be a huntsman.

There was one thing that just didn't sit right with Jaune, however. "Why not just ask your men where they went and what they did?"

The older man's shoulders shrugged once with silent amusement at the question. "Are you kidding me? My boys are as loyal as they are intelligent." Junior glanced over to the railing where below them on the first floor of the building those very men continued to work. They were unaware of just how little their employer regarded them. Or maybe Junior was correct in his assessment and they didn't care what he thought of them so long as he continued to pay them. "They'll turn on me as soon as someone comes along and outbids me. It's why I don't trust them with anything important. It comes with the territory."

That dose of truth surprised Jaune. While he may have known that the seedy criminal underworld did not inspire much confidence in those who were a part of it, hearing it spoken so plainly to someone who was not a member of that crowd seemed unusual to him.

"And you think you can trust me?" He didn't know if he should feel flattered or concerned.

Junior nodded slightly, the amused look on his face still there. "I trust you because you're predictable. You have something to gain from this that's more important than money. Mel here isn't wrong when she calls you 'little huntsman'," he said motioning over toward the girl. "At least she won't be if you get the job done."

The teen looked down at the folded paper in his hands. It was all up to him now. Junior would uphold his end of the bargain if he did his part. It would take his strength and skill in order to succeed here. The mission was his to complete and no one else's. He could not fail.

"You're putting a lot of faith in me," he said solemnly.

He did not know why he was beginning to feel so much doubt. Maybe because prior to this moment it had all been a dream. It was easy to dream. It was much harder to deal with reality when it was right in front of you.

"Maybe I am," Junior admitted. "Or maybe you're an expendable face that unlike the twins here, won't be recognized. You believe what you need to as long as you get the job done."

The dose of reality hit him hard, but the honesty was appreciated. He was a tool for Junior just as Junior was a tool for him. It was a business transaction. Jaune was performing a task for a payment in the form of Beacon transcripts. He could not feel any more angry at Junior using him for his "talents" than Junior could feel angry at being used by him for his own skills.

"Right," Jaune said. "I'll be there. I won't let you down."

The man chuckled again. "Don't worry about impressing me. Worry about making it back alive."

He nodded. The thought of not making it back alive was a grim reminder that the career of a huntsman was a dangerous one. A potentially deadly one. He could not forget that.

"Alright, now get out of here," Junior said as gently as his deep voice would allow. "If I don't hear from you in a couple of days I'll assume you're either dead or in prison."

"Right," he said evenly. What more could he say to that?

Without another word he stood and walked down the stairs before making his way towards the back exit.

He shoved the paper in his pocket for safekeeping, but he doubted that he would be able to forget the words which were written there. As of this moment they were the most important words in his life. A simple time and address held his future in their figurative hands.

All he had to do was watch. It was a standard reconnaissance mission.

That shouldn't be too hard to handle. Right?

* * *

 **Author's Note:** After this chapter I hope that little pieces of the Malachite's personalities are starting to show. I'm basically working strictly with body language from the Yellow Trailer and doing my best to bring that to life. Good or bad so far? I'd like to know what you think.

Thank you very much for reading. All feedback whether it's positive or negative is appreciated, because without constructive criticism I can't improve what I have problems with. In any case I hope you enjoyed the chapter.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note:** I'm beyond thrilled that people enjoy my take on the Malachites so much. What some have said is true, they're such blank slates that any version of them someone writes will almost be like OCs. Personally I hate writing OCs so this is a bit of a tricky situation for me. Hopefully the fact that they have established looks and voices will give them... I don't know. More legitimacy for lack of a better word? In any case, I want to thank everyone for their support so far. I never expected this story to get so many fans so quickly, and all of your support is truly appreciated.

* * *

The wind was particularly fierce on a warm summer evening, negating the otherwise uncomfortable effects that the temperature would have on a man wearing long sleeves. Jaune was happy for the breeze as it whipped against his face and tossed his hair about his head. It made the moment seem all the more heroic in his mind. Extreme weather conditions were a staple in any good action or adventure movie, whether it was high winds, torrential rains or blinding lightning filling the sky. Of course reality was far more grounded than the movies, but the current weather just felt appropriate for what he was doing on this night.

At first a part of him had thought this was some sort of elaborate setup. Like Junior had changed his mind about forging the transcripts in order to extort or rob Jaune of his money. While he was by no means wealthy, his family was not poor either. The exploits of his ancestors had resulted in a substantial amount of lien and land which had been passed down the generations of Arcs to this very day. Jaune had no idea how they had acquired wealth in the first place, as such knowledge had been lost to time. Maybe it was plunder from the Great War. Or maybe it was a reward for exceptional service. He didn't know. But it was more than enough to allow a family to raise eight children in comfort.

Seeing that the information Junior provided was accurate dispelled any thoughts of treachery from Jaune's mind. In hindsight it truly was silly to think that it was all some sort of trap. No one even remembered the Arc name anymore. Eighty years was a long time, more than enough to make the general public forget what his family accomplished during the Great War. People had far greater things to worry about these days. The constant threat of Grimm attacks hung over civilization as regularly as the clouds themselves hung in the sky. Terrorist attacks were on the rise, most notably perpetrated by the notorious faunus group known as the White Fang. In the grand scheme of things Jaune Arc was nothing. A nobody. A peon. He was merely a guy who wanted to make a name for himself. Not for public adoration, but to live up to his own internal expectations.

Jaune lifted up his black hood to shield his face from the worst of the wind gusts which were funneled down the narrow alleyways every few seconds. It also provided a small disguise to those who might notice him lurking around in the shadows. The less details anyone may have about his appearance the better.

Peering around the corner down the surprisingly well-lit alley, Jaune saw familiar black-clad men in hats and red sunglasses speaking to a well-dressed man in white. He stood out for more reasons than just the difference in clothing color. His fiery-red hair hung out from underneath a black bowler hat, and the cane he walked with exuded wealth and importance rather than some sort of physical disability. Clearly this was the man which Junior had spoken of. The one who had hired his men. The one Jaune was to follow.

The leader strode down the alley with unbridled swagger and arrogance with each step, seemingly without a care in the world. The henchmen, perhaps half a dozen in total, followed closely behind. Each carried a curved red sword with little regard for what passersby thought of them. With their numbers and strength on display they probably felt invincible.

Jaune decided it was time to move in order to keep up with the group. Dashing from his hiding place he kept to the shadows in order to conceal his presence. He saw that the group was quickly approaching a local shop. Squinting in order to try and read the sign from this distance, Jaune could make out the name of the shop in question. From Dust Till Dawn.

No doubt a dust shop. And if he had to make a guess he could make a pretty educated one as to what the man in white hoped to obtain from such a place. However this information would not be good enough. There was no question that his target wanted dust. The real question was how he hoped to obtain it. And the bonus question was why. Neither of these mysteries would be solved by simply leaving at the first opportunity to consider his mission complete. A genuine huntsman would not be satisfied with these answers. He knew that he wouldn't be if he was the one who wanted them.

However he knew that he would get no answers standing back at a distance. He would not be able to overhear any conversations, nor would he be able to see any transactions which may have taken place. In order to complete his mission he would need to actually step inside.

Jaune removed his scabbard from his belt and tucked it underneath his hoodie. Luckily the special Pumpkin Pete attire was loose and roomy, and by keeping his arm close to his torso he was able to keep the heavy sword and sheath concealed with little effort.

He attempted to look inconspicuous as he approached the storefront. His hood was still up and his hands were dug into the front pocket of his hoodie. To anyone he was just a normal young man out and about in Vale on a weekday evening. Nothing unusual about that at all. And if anyone asked that would be his story. No one could prove otherwise.

As Jaune approached the door he looked up to see one of the henchmen standing beside it. His blade was sheathed at his hip, and looking on the other side of his waist Jaune could see a holstered pistol as well. These were clearly dangerous men. He would have to watch himself.

When Jaune was about to raise his arm to reach for the door the man in black sidestepped to stand in front of it. He wore a neutral expression on his face, and Jaune could not get a read about his intent from his eyes due to the sunglasses.

In the end the man's words told him everything he needed to know. "Store's closed," he said simply.

Jaune looked at the front window. The sign which hung inside clearly said 'open'. "But it's only like nine o'clock," he said as he motioned to the sign.

Inside Jaune could see the back of the man in white as he faced the old man behind the counter. All around him the henchmen looked to be gathering all sorts of dust in tubes and containers. One of them even had his pistol pointed at the clerk. What struck him as odd was that the clerk did not appear to be giving them any of the lien from the register.

That certainly answered one of Jaune's earlier questions.

"And I said the place is closed," the henchman said with more of an edge to his voice this time. "So beat it, kid."

Jaune nodded. Truthfully what more could he do at this point? He had gathered a fair amount of intel about whatever operation was going on. From what he saw it was clearly a robbery in progress. Against so many armed men what could he do? His mission wasn't to fight. It was to collect information. He had done that.

As he was about to turn away there was an explosion of glass from the front window of the shop.

Jaune's head whipped around to see two figures on the ground surrounded by hundreds of shards of glass. The impact and lacerations would be crippling or potentially fatal for normal people. When Jaune saw one of them stand he knew that these were no normal people.

A girl clad in black and red stood above one of the henchmen who was still struggling to recover from the crash. Her long red cloak whipped in the billowing wind to make someone of her size and stature appear more intimidating than she normally would be. Then she took out her weapon.

Jaune's eyes widened in amazement as what was already a fairly large weapon for someone her size began to expand. Soon enough a massive red scythe which must have weighed as much as she did was hefted over her shoulder, it's cruel-looking blade ready to tear into anything that came within its reach.

Apparently he was not the only one who was amazed. From inside the shop men peered out, mouths agape in horror and wonder at what they saw. Only the man in white seemed to maintain his composure, a lit cigar pressed firmly between his lips as he looked out to the girl who had by now pointed her scythe at them in challenge.

He wasted little time in accepting that challenge. "Okay..." the leader said calmly. "Get her."

Henchmen rushed out brandishing their own red blades ready to take care of the girl who had decided to interfere in their robbery. Whoever the young girl was did not care about whatever threat they may have posed as she displayed an incredible acrobatic ability, using her scythe as a base to spin on and kick down the first of the men who approached her. In the blink of an eye she was on the move, carrying her weapon with little difficulty as she took the fight to every one of the black-clad men one after the other. Her speed was incredible, and Jaune was hard-pressed to keep up with her movements as she landed blow after blow on the robbers.

By this point Jaune had moved to a safer location from where he could watch the fight. A nearby dumpster provided cover from both being spotted as well as attacks which were being unleashed in the swirling melee. The other civilians around him had similar ideas as well, with most having fled the scene by now. A few of the bolder ones had decided to hide out in a manner similar to that of his own in order to witness what was sure to be a once in a lifetime street fight.

Jaune was happy he did decide to take cover, as soon dust bullets had entered the fray. Shots rang out from both the pistols of the henchmen as well as the massive scythe of the skirt-wearing girl. Just what kind of weapon did she have? It was insane. A compact scythe that doubled as some sort of rifle? His eyes drifted down to his side to look at Crocea Mors before realizing that it was still underneath his hoodie. Jaune wasted no time in reattaching it to his belt. The night had certainly gotten interesting, and there was no telling when he might need his family's blade.

Witnessing the girl fight was indeed like something out of an action movie. Every shot from her weapon seemed to only be meant to aid in her own momentum rather than inflict damage on the enemy. Her movements were graceful and fluid, like some sort of warrior ballerina as she tore through foe after foe with little difficulty. It almost made Jaune feel as if he could have taken them all on and stopped the robbery himself. A large part of him wished that he had.

Then again... there was still time. The night was young, after all.

Fingers squeezed the blue leather which wrapped the hilt of his sword. _Okay, Jaune. Let's do this. Just like dad taught you._

Jaune rushed out, unsheathing Crocea Mors as he did so. This reconnaissance mission was anything but that anymore. This had escalated into full-blown combat. What kind of aspiring huntsman would he be if he just hung back and watched? Even if the girl in red looked like she could take care of herself, what would happen if he was wrong? What if she wound up getting hurt or worse when he could have helped her? What if some innocent civilian was caught by a stray bullet when he could have prevented it? Sitting back and waiting was not the behavior of a huntsman. The only option was to take action and protect the people of Vale. It wasn't like he had any more information to gain by watching.

One of the henchmen was stumbling back to his feet before Jaune crashed into him from behind with his shield. All of the man's effort was for naught as he was sent tumbling back to the ground on his face. Jaune brought a boot down hard onto his back which earned him a grunt of pain from the man underneath him. When it appeared clear that he would not be getting up again anytime soon he moved on to the next.

Another of them men who had clearly seen better days gripped his red blade tightly as he looked between Jaune and the mystery girl. Seeing the former as the better of his options he charged Jaune with his blade held high in the air.

It came down with surprising strength, but Jaune raised his shield to block the strike. Squeezing Crocea Mors' handle and feeling the texture of its blue leather in his fingers, Jaune lashed out with his blade and plunged it into the exposed midsection of his assailant. It would have been a fatal blow had the man not had Aura, but as Jaune had seen earlier all of the men were fully capable of surviving the attacks of the girl in red. The blow probably did do a significant amount of damage to the man's Aura if his reaction was any indicator. He stumbled backwards and before he could recover Jaune followed up his attack by striking him in the face with the pommel of Crocea Mors. A satisfying crack filled his ears and his opponent fell to the ground in a crumpled heap.

There was little time to celebrate the victory however as a loud explosion sounded from behind him. Jaune turned to see the man in white pointing the bottom end of his cane out as if it were a pistol. He instantly made the connection that said cane was also some sort of projectile weapon. What was with these people and their strange, hybrid weapons? Did no one have an appreciation for a classical sword anymore?

The shot had been aimed at his newfound partner, and as she leapt to the side in order to avoid the attack the man in white made his escape. He dashed over to the fire escape ladder of a nearby building and was frantically climbing it.

Jaune went over to check on the girl but she was already back on her feet. The two shared a look and she nodded to him in silent acknowledgement for the help he had given her, no matter how little it was or how little she had needed it.

To him it was an unspoken command to stay and look after the men who they had incapacitated while she went after the leader. Jaune was fine with that. Someone needed to watch over them to ensure that none escaped before the police could arrive. They would be arriving shortly if the distant wail of their sirens indicated anything.

Looking all around him, all he could think about was how much of a mess had been made. Chunks of concrete, shards of glass and broken bodies of men littered the street. It reminded him of just two nights ago when he had stepped foot in Junior's club. Even the smell of dust in the air from all of the expended ammunition brought his mind back to that scene. The only difference was that one took place indoors while this one was on a public street.

He hoped that Junior wouldn't mind that he had participated in the action. Even if it had only been a small amount of participation. However he could not just stand idly by and allow a crime to take place. That was not the behavior of a huntsman. And as a former huntsman himself he was certain that Junior would understand his reasoning. Then again... Junior didn't have to know at all. Most of the work had been done by the girl after all. If any questions were asked Jaune could just say that she was the one responsible for taking out his men. She likely would have been able to handle it by herself had he not stepped in.

Another explosion gained his attention, this time from the roof where the unknown man and girl had last been seen headed. Everything about this night was pure chaos. As he took a step towards the building Jaune's eyes were drawn up to the sky by a loud humming noise. A Bullhead air ship was flying dangerously close to the ground, and it was headed straight towards where the explosion had come from.

Jaune was tempted to go up and see what was going on. It wasn't that he doubted the mystery girl's abilities. How could he after she had put on that display? Before he could even come to a decision however he heard the sound of police sirens nearing the area. They were just in time to see the Bullhead pull away from the rooftop and fly off into the distance. Whatever had happened up there had been intense but brief. Probably not even more than a minute in total.

With the authorities arriving and the threat seemingly neutralized the last thing that Jaune wanted was to be seen as a person of interest. He had information to return to Junior. All of his hopes and dreams rode on his success here. He was on a timetable as well. If he wound up being taken in for questioning, or worse, held in custody for whatever reason, then Junior may not get his transcripts finished before the deadline.

Doing his best to look nonchalant Jaune made his way to the nearest alley, hoping he would be able to slip away before any of the few witnesses would be able to finger him as a participant in the action. But before he made it too far he heard a voice call out from behind him.

It was a tiny yet energetic voice. "Hey!"

Jaune stopped and stood still briefly before turning. Standing behind him was the girl in black and red.

Her scythe was gone now, presumably folded back up and concealed somewhere under that long red cloak of hers. The hem of her skirt, along with said cloak moved with the swirling wind in the narrow alley.

She began moving forward now, approaching him with what he would consider to be caution or even shyness. As she drew closer Jaune could see her gleaming silver eyes looking over him. "Are, um, are you a huntsman too?" she asked.

The first thing which struck Jaune was just how awkward the girl sounded. He wasn't that intimidating, was he? Of course he knew that he looked like a badass in his special edition Pumpkin Pete hoodie, but it surely couldn't look so cool that she felt shy around him.

The second thing which stood out was the last word of her sentence. Too? As in also? Jaune didn't know what to make of that, unless there was another huntsman somewhere nearby. The girl's tone sounded guarded when she asked the question, and this conflicted with her eyes which looked almost hopeful at what his response would be.

"Well, not exactly..." he said, considering the complexity of his situation. He noticed the girl's head tilt slightly in confusion before she seemed to lean forward in anticipation of his explanation. "I'm going to Beacon Academy in a few days. So I will be a huntsman pretty soon I guess."

He didn't know what answer she was looking for, but it took no time at all for the girl to show her reaction. Her eyes lit up to match the joy which showed in her huge grin. "That is so cool!" she gushed. The girl rushed forward to cover the last bit of distance between them. Her eyes shone with all the brilliance of polished silver as she looked up to him with admiration. "Can I have your autograph too then? It'd be like getting one from a celebrity before they're famous so they're worth more lien." She paused and giggled to herself. "Not that I'd ever sell yours or Miss Goodwitch's. Nope, these are getting framed and going straight on my wall."

The girl's demeanor, which had once been awkward and timid, quickly turned friendly and energetic. She was beyond weird. Not only did she fight with a highly advanced compacting rifle scythe, but she seemed to have a bizarre fascination with huntsmen the way she spoke about them. It wasn't as if he was some celebrity or sports figure whose autograph would rise in value as his fame did.

Jaune rubbed the back of his neck, not quite knowing how to respond to the question. "Are you for real?"

All traces of shyness had vanished from the girl now as she nodded her head animatedly. "Yup! I think huntresses and huntsmen are the coolest things ever!"

"Wait, you're seriously not a huntress? After what you did with your scythe?"

She shook her head. This time however she exuded sadness with each slow movement. "No... I'm too young to attend Beacon," she frowned. "Right now I'm going to Signal Academy. I have to wait two more stupid years until I get to go."

To hear that was surprising. With the way she had fought he would have thought of her as a professional already. Or at least a huntress in training.

Two years... wait. Did that mean she was two years younger than him? This girl who had taken on half a dozen armed criminals on her own was only fifteen?

"That's incredible," he admitted. Unlike before there was no bending of the truth in the statement. "You must have had some amazing training."

In truth Jaune was a bit jealous. Despite being two years her senior this girl was far beyond his own skill level. She would have no trouble getting into Beacon when her time came.

An embarrassed smirk worked its way onto her face as she looked down to the ground. "Yeah... my Uncle Qrow is pretty great," she said bashfully. "He taught me everything I know about how to use a scythe."

Qrow, eh? Jaune had never heard of him in any of his father's stories. Then again why would he? It's not as if every huntsman knew every other huntsman, and it was all just one huge web of relationships and acquaintances.

Another though hit Jaune as hard as the girl had hit those robbers. A name would be a pretty useful thing to know about the girl he was speaking to.

"I'm Jaune, by the way," he said as he extended his hand toward the girl.

"Ruby," she said as she grasped it. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Bytheway."

Jaune raised an eyebrow, which in turn caused Ruby to wince and retract her hand.

"Yeah... I'm not very good with the jokes," she said softly. She ran her fingers through locks of dark red hair nervously. "No one in my family is, even though my sister brags about being super funny." She paused before she looked back up at him. "She's not."

"That's fine," Jaune laughed. "If you can fight like that then who cares about how funny you are? Can't be good at everything I guess."

Flashing red and blue lights outside of the alley told Jaune that the authorities had arrived. If he wanted to avoid any unwanted questions from them, as well as that huntsman that Ruby had mentioned, he knew that he should be one his way.

"Hey, so..." he started, sounding as awkward as she had when they first spoke. "I hate to just run out on you but I have to get going. I was running an errand before this whole mess started."

Ruby nodded understandingly before her eyes reverted back to the ground. "Yeah, me too. Miss Goodwitch said she needed to talk to me in private after she finished securing the area." A bright smile formed on Ruby's face as she looked up towards the sky whimsically. "She probably wants to thank me personally for my help tonight." Her eyes widened. "Or maybe even give me a medal!"

Jaune couldn't help but smile at her youthful optimism. While what Ruby had said was not entirely out of the realm of possibility, the alternative was a much more real expectation. Untrained and unlicensed individuals getting involved in vigilante justice were probably not looked upon very kindly in the city of Vale. It was just one more reason he wanted to avoid the gaze of the local law enforcement officials.

"Heh, good luck with that," he said. Jaune looked the other direction to see that his path to freedom was still clear of any sort of blockades or checkpoints. "Well, it was nice meeting you, Ruby. Maybe I'll see you at Beacon in a couple of years. I know I'll never forget that scythe for the rest of my life."

Upon hearing him speak about her weapon Ruby cradled the folded scythe in her arms as if it were a baby. "Yeah... Crescent Rose is one of a kind," she said lovingly. She snapped out of her daze with a slight shake of her head. "But yeah, see you around, Jaune. It was nice meeting you too."

Jaune nodded and lifted his hand to give a small wave before turning and leaving the scene.

What a night. It was supposed to have been so simple. Go and tail a guy to learn about why he had hired Junior's men. And then everything just turned to chaos.

He now had an idea of what Junior's earlier words had meant. Something about not everything being black and white, and that missions weren't always as simple as they were supposed to be. Tonight was a fine example of it.

Jaune had been forced to make a choice. Either help out Ruby in stopping a robbery or ignore her and leave an unknown number of lives hanging in the balance. He had chosen, and now he had to live with that choice. Just as Junior had told him.

He ran a gloved hand through his hair and exhaled heavily. He hoped that it had been the correct choice.

* * *

This was the greatest night of her life. It was a shame that it very well may be her last.

It had been an emotional roller coaster all night. What had started as a simple trip to Vale to spend time with her sister before she went to Beacon Academy had quickly turned into an exhausting and exciting series of events. She had helped to foil the robbery of a dust shop. How cool was that? She was a hero just like in the stories she enjoyed as a child. However the man leading the group of criminals had gotten away.

Next she had met a genuine huntress! However instead of getting the woman's autograph as she had planned, she was yelled at by the older woman for her recklessness.

Finally she had met the esteemed headmaster of Beacon Academy himself, Professor Ozpin. The man offered her a the opportunity to go to his school two years earlier than she had expected. The only problem now was that Yang was going to kill her before she could even enjoy her reward.

Sometimes life just wasn't fair.

The transportation which had been provided to her courtesy of the headmaster of Beacon Academy slowed down as it neared the hotel which Ruby was staying at for the next few days. After it had stopped she stepped out, thanking the man for taking her back this late at night. It wasn't that Ruby was afraid to be out alone in the city. Far from it in fact, as she considered the idea. She was responsible for demolishing an entire gang of criminals almost single-handedly. If anything the thugs who were wandering the streets at this time of night should be afraid of her. It was the thought that counted, however. Professor Ozpin obviously had her best interests at heart, and for him to take the time and spend lien on her in order for her to return safely to her sister showed as much.

Bright street lights illuminated the front of the hotel, which even this late was surprisingly active. Other cars came and went dropping off fellow guests of the hotel, others picking them up to head out and enjoy what the night life of Vale had to offer them. Ruby brought a hand up to her mouth and yawned widely. It was already far later than she was used to staying up, and the adrenaline of the earlier fight had long since worn off. All she wanted to do now was crash into her bed and sleep until noon. However she knew she would not be able to do so.

She was tempted to press all of the buttons in the elevator simply for the fun of it. It also presented her the added bonus of prolonging her encounter with her older sister. In the end though she knew that making Yang wait even longer would only make the fallout worse.

The thought had not even occurred to her to call or text Yang to tell her what was going on. Everything had happened so fast. Originally Ruby had gone on a quick cookie run at a nearby convenience store since the snacks sold at the small hotel store were obscenely overpriced. On her way she had spotted a dust shop. Deciding that it wouldn't hurt to stop by and check to see if they had the latest issue of her favorite weapons magazine, she had taken a slight detour in order to make another potential purchase.

The rest was history.

Ruby dug into a pocket of her combat skirt to produce her room's keycard. Her heart was thumping inside her chest as she went to swipe it. The small light on the lock mechanism turned from red to green, and the telltale click of the door being unlocked sounded in her ears. Ruby grabbed hold of the handle and pushed the door open.

A wave of cool air hit her, the temperature of their room being a good ten degrees colder than the hotel halls thanks to Yang's preferred air conditioner settings. She stood there for a moment, noting that the room was dimly lit with only one of the bed lamps being on. Underneath that wall-mounted lamp was the young woman who was using it. Her sister, Yang Xiao Long.

Lilac-colored eyes met hers the instant she had stepped far enough into the room to get a look at her sister. Yang sprang to her feet a moment later, her long, thick blonde hair bouncing with the movement. The distance between sisters closed in seconds as Yang rushed over to her.

Ruby expected the worst. Her sister could be quite temperamental, and she was very deserving of any punishment she received at the moment. She was used to Yang expressing her emotions through physical actions one way or another. What Ruby was not expecting was the crushing bear hug she was pulled into by her elder sibling.

"I was so worried about you," Yang said as she squeezed her sister like she would float away if she let go. "What happened? Where were you?"

Ruby felt guilty. Horribly so. The only contact she had made with Yang since she had set out on her cookie quest was perhaps an hour ago when she was leaving Beacon. Ruby had simply told her that she was on her way back right now and would be there soon. The text had been brief not because she lacked things to say, but because she truthfully did not want to converse with her sister out of fear of being further chastised.

"It's... uh..." Ruby trailed off as her eyes darted down to the floor. She could not meet the intense gaze of her older sister. "It's a long story."

The silence was deafening when Yang did not immediately respond. When Ruby looked up she saw her sister's colorful eyes narrowed at her, threatening to pierce her if she looked her way for too long.

"Is that supposed to be funny?" Yang asked. Her mood had shifted from worried to annoyed, and it would not be long now until it traveled further down the emotional spectrum. "Copying what I said a few nights ago will _not_ make this better."

Ruby hadn't even realized she had parroted Yang's own explanation for their meeting at the night club several days ago. Back then Yang had thought it was yet another one of her clever puns. A long story. A _Long_ story. It wasn't funny. Yang wasn't funny. Just as she had told the boy she had met earlier.

However now it was Ruby who wasn't being funny, even if it had never been her intention in the first place. "No, it's-" Ruby cut herself off. "I didn't mean it like that. It really is a long story."

"Well then," Yang started as she grabbed Ruby by the wrist. She could feel the vice-like grip of her sister threatening to shatter her bones, and the older girl probably would have succeeded if not for her Aura. "You can tell me right now. Seeing how it's already two in the morning, what's another hour of staying up with your loving big sister?"

Yang's words sounded sisterly and loving, but her faux smile betrayed her true feelings. The blonde girl yanked her by the wrist and led her to sit down on the previously unoccupied bed which belonged to Ruby. Yang took a seat next to her before staring at her sister expectedly.

Ruby fidgeted under the scrutinizing glare. She didn't like attention. She didn't like being in the spotlight. So right now being all but interrogated by Yang was making her mouth become dry and her heart race.

"Well?" the blonde asked. The question only further increased Ruby's anxiety.

Ruby licked her lips. She might as well start from the beginning. "Um, you haven't watched the news at all tonight, have you?" she asked.

Yang snorted a laugh. Laughter was good, right? "Do I look like dad to you? Next you'll ask me if I read the newspaper this morning."

She shrank further at the sarcastic comment. Though she knew it hadn't been Yang's intent to do so, it had only made her feel even more uncomfortable than before.

"Well, there was a robbery at a dust shop in Vale," Ruby continued on in a meek tone. If she spoke any softer one may have considered it a whisper. "I was there."

Yang's eyes widened and in an instant she had reverted back to her worried tone. "What? Are you okay? Did you get hurt? You got hurt didn't you? That's why you were gone so long. Let me take a look."

It didn't help matters that with every question that Yang asked she had begun grabbing at Ruby's limbs and torso in order to check for any visible sign of injuries. Ruby squirmed under the overprotective motions of her sister. While she had long since grown used to Yang playing the role of mother, she didn't need to do so at this stage of her life. Ruby considered herself to be a grown woman now. After all, she drank milk.

The blonde finally gave up after she was unable to get a solid grasp on any part of her sister to examine. Perhaps it was the fact that Ruby was so feisty and evasive that told her that her sister was in perfect health.

It didn't hurt however to confirm it herself. "I'm fine. Really, Yang. It's the bad guys who are probably all at the hospital now."

"The _bad guys_ ," Yang cooed. "You're so precious, Ruby."

Ruby pouted, her cheeks tinting red in embarrassment over her sister mocking her slightly juvenile choice of words. " _Anyway_ ," she said sharply. "I'm fine and they're not. And even though the main bad- the leader of the group got away, I stopped the robbery. Oh, I had some help too. It was so cool!"

She went on to tell Yang the details of just how she had gone about stopping the black-clad thugs with Crescent Rose. She didn't fail to cover a single detail of every shot and swing she took. To her fighting was like a form of art. Sure, painters could make pretty pictures and singers could perform beautiful songs. However it was the art of combat which spoke to Ruby most of all. It required the movement of a dancer. The precision of a painter. And when she and Crescent Rose were together they were able to produce stunning visuals that could compare to the works of any artist out there.

Yang listened intently to every word, appreciating each moment she was spending with her sister. It was because she believed that this would be one of the last nights she would be able to spend with Ruby before going to Beacon. What Yang didn't know was that she was in for a big surprise.

When the first part of the story was concluded Yang smiled warmly. It was a stark contrast to how she had been acting only minutes earlier. "I'm proud of you, Rubes," she said as she gently laid a hand on her sister's shoulder. A moment later those same fingers squeezed down hard on the cloaked girl's body. "But don't you ever do something so stupid and reckless again, got it?"

Ruby had never been so thankful for Aura before this night. The thugs she had dealt with earlier were no match for the wrath of her big sister.

She nodded hurriedly at Yang's words. "Yup!" she squeaked out. "Got it!"

The pressure lessened and Yang returned her hand to her side. "Good. Now that that's settled I think it would be best if we didn't tell dad about your little adventure tonight."

Ruby laughed nervously as she turned her head to avoid the suspicious look that Yang was giving her.

"Ruby..." Yang said threateningly. "What is it?"

"Well, um... you see..." she said nervously. "About that..."

Looking back to Yang, Ruby was relieved to see that her eyes were still their usual purple color and that her hair was not engulfed in flames. On one hand that meant that the situation was still under control. However on the other it meant that things could still get worse from here.

"What aren't you telling me, Ruby?"

"I... I kinda met the headmaster of Beacon after the huntress lady took me to the school." Ruby fidgeted on the bed, unconsciously putting another few inches between her and Yang. "He... kinda invited me to Beacon. Like, now. Two years early."

She sat waiting with bated breath for how Yang would react. This could be it. This could be what would trigger the volcano to erupt. Mt. Yang had been dormant for far too long now, and she was overdue for her rage to spill forth with all of the heat and destructive force of a lava flow.

For the second time tonight Ruby was caught off-guard by her sister's reaction. However much like before she was pulled into a bone-crushing hug from the older girl.

"That's great!" Yang exclaimed. "I'm so happy for you!"

The breath had been squeezed out of her lungs, and with her arms pinned at her side's Ruby struggled to escape her sister's embrace this time. In the end she simply accepted her fate and waited for it to end.

By the time she was released Ruby had had the time to think of how she wanted to respond to Yang's praise. "I thought you'd be mad at me."

"Mad? Why would I be mad? This is your dream, isn't it?"

"Yeah, but... but you were just talking about how reckless and stupid I was tonight."

Yang's smile lit up the room brighter than any dust-powered lamp could ever hope to. "Yeah, but now this means that you get to go to Beacon with me," she said happily. "This is the best day ever!"

Ruby was still confused. "But..."

She never got a chance to speak as Yang continued. "And I get to keep an eye on you and make sure you don't get into any sort of trouble like you did tonight!" she said proudly. Don't you see? It's a win-win!"

Suddenly it all made sense. It wasn't just that Ruby was able to start living her dream two years early. No, Yang was not that altruistic. In addition to Ruby's own happiness, Yang was happy that she would get to keep an eye on her for their entire four year stay at the combat school.

"Oh, right," Ruby said with a small sigh.

"This is going to be great! Before I wanted to cherish all of our time together before I had to go to Beacon, but now I can't wait to get there!"

Well, Yang seemed happy. So that was good. All in all this was a far better alternative to Yang being so upset about what had happened earlier that she and their father would arrange to have Ruby locked away until she was old enough to go to Beacon herself.

There were other benefits too. Her dad had talked a lot about the good old days of being on a team with her uncle and mother. What if she and Yang got to be on a team together? Sure, that would play right into Yang's plans for keeping an eye on her. However it would be nice to be on a team with someone she knew and was comfortable around.

With the situation resolved now Yang decided that they needed some sleep. After all, they would have to be in peak condition if they were to pass the initiation and be accepted into Beacon. Telling their father would have to wait for the morning. She hoped that he would be as excited about the news as Yang was.

* * *

Dust. Dirt. Debris. The stench of it all overwhelmed her when she opened the door.

Melanie's nose wrinkled as she stepped onto the ground floor of the club. Her lips twitched with disgust at the smell of concrete dust in the air and the sight of the manual labor being performed around her. Men in black suits were still around working as they had been for several days now. While the place certainly looked far better than it had the day after the attack, it was still well below her standards. Her current attire was as well.

Her and Miltia's favorite dresses were currently residing with a local tailor waiting to be mended. Much to her chagrin, she had learned that replacing her prized dress would be all but impossible and was truly a one of a kind garment. The same applied to her sister's. The only option she had was to pay to have it repaired. Although it would be a costly investment, in her eyes it was worth it. One could not put a price on style. And it wasn't as if a couple hundred lien would actually make a difference in all this mess. Junior himself had said so.

She strolled casually through the mess on the floor, taking careful steps to avoid tripping on the long cords connected to power tools and other cleaning supplies which were required for the restoration of the bottom two floors of the building. A hand reached up to gently stroke her favorite feather boa only to remember that she wasn't wearing it. The pale white and teal accessory would have looked completely out of place without her trademark dress on, and thus she had chosen not to wear it. As she harped on the empty feeling around her collar she could feel the air which would normally not have been allowed to grace her neck and shoulders. It was an unwelcome sensation.

In the distance she saw Junior on his scroll as he was so often these days. Even at this late hour he was still trying to put the pieces of his life, no, their lives back together. This did not just affect him after all. This was her and Miltia's home as well. This was, for lack of a better term, their careers. They were the right and left hands of the criminal boss known to most as Junior. However to her and Miltia, Hei Xiong was far more than that.

Speaking of Miltia, Melanie saw that her sister had taken a seat at one of the few unbroken tables away from where Junior was conducting his business. Even from a distance it was not difficult to see, or in this case, hear why. The man was yelling loudly and angrily into his scroll at some unknown individual on the other end. While she could not make out what he was saying, the emotion behind his words was clear.

Melanie grabbed one of the other seats at the table and sat next to her sister. Miltia had either not noticed or simply didn't care, and she continued to stare blankly off into the distance where Junior continued to rant and rave at the unknown person. Her chin was pressed firmly into a palm with her elbow cemented on the surface of the table. The beverage before her looked untouched.

The older of the twins nudged the other softly with an elbow to earn her attention. "What's up?" she asked.

Contrary to what many casual observers believed, just because the two were twins did not mean they spent every waking moment together. Melanie had been out alone for the past several hours and was completely in the dark about what was happening with Junior.

Miltia shrugged noncommittally in response. Other than that her body remained still and her focus was still on Junior.

Melanie frowned in annoyance over the lack of an answer. Slowly but surely she let her hand creep across the table to attempt to grasp whatever bright, blue cocktail that Miltia had made but not had the motivation to drink yet. If her sister refused to enjoy it on a fine night like this then she refused to let it go to waste.

As her fingers touched the glass she saw Miltia's hand lash out and grab her wrist, stopping her in her tracks. After holding it for a second Miltia released her arm and allowed Melanie to remove it from the table.

"I knew that'd get a reaction," Melanie smiled.

Miltia scoffed, letting an annoyed breath slip through her lips. "As if I want to deal with drunk Melanie again so soon."

"As if I can't just walk over to the bar right now and get as many drinks as I want."

"You want to get in his way right now?" Miltia said as she motioned over to where Junior paced back and forth. "Go for it."

Melanie waved a hand dismissively. "Please. Hei's a giant teddy bear. His yelly face doesn't scare me."

On cue Junior's voice boomed suddenly to an even higher volume than before. It allowed both girls to hear his words with clarity. "You got what you paid for! Getting results is on you, not me!"

Melanie saw how Miltia frowned at Junior and what was clearly a major disagreement with the other party. As to what exactly he was referring to, she could not say.

She reached over for her sister's drink once more and was again thwarted by her younger sibling. This time Miltia decided to speak. "I thought you could get a drink at the bar," she said smugly.

The elder twin's eyes narrowed in response to the blatant taunt. "I just don't feel like getting up right now. Unlike you I've been out all day."

"Uh huh," Miltia said as she reached out and downed her beverage in one gulp. She set the empty glass down in front of her sister as if to mock her.

"Whatever."

"Whatever to you."

Inside Melanie felt a twinge of irritation at her sister showing her up like that. It was like she said, Junior didn't scare her when he was angry. She just didn't feel like getting up right now, and taking Miltia's unwanted drink would have been convenient. But no, she just had to be petty about it and drink it just to spite her. Then again she shouldn't have expected anything less of someone who was obviously her immature younger sister. Even if it was by only a few minutes.

After several seconds of silence Melanie decided to forget the blue drink incident in order to inquire as to why exactly Junior was so upset. "So what's up with him?"

"I dunno. I've only been able to make out some of it."

"Like what?"

Miltia shrugged. "I dunno. The guy on the other end isn't happy about something."

"Duh. Even I could tell you that much."

"Well excuse me, _Melanie_ , but it's kind of hard when I can't hear what the other guy's saying."

"Junior said something about results," Melanie pointed out. "What results do you think he means?"

Her sister shrugged again. "Could be anything. There's a lot of stuff to fix around here."

"I guess."

Miltia looked down to the table surface as she spoke. "You think he's broke?" she asked with a tiny hint of fear in her voice.

A brief chill passed through Melanie at the thought of it. She imagined that her sister had a similar reaction upon uttering the idea. Ever since Junior had taken them in all of those years ago they had been for the lack of a better term, spoiled. The former huntsman had earned enough lien from his career in order to purchase this entire building and transform it into one of Vale's premier night clubs. It hadn't mattered to her that much of his lien had come from less than reputable people and jobs. Some had bordered on legality, others had blatantly disregarded the law. The only thing that Melanie and Miltia had cared about was that they were able to live in comfort.

The idea of losing all of that and going back to what they had once been terrified her. Even if she could not and would not show it. At least not in front of Miltia.

"No," Melanie said reassuringly. "Hei's too smart for that. He'd never get things get that bad."

She saw her sister nod absentmindedly, but it was clear that she was not convinced. Melanie frowned, because in the back of her mind there was a small part of her that was not convinced either.

Whether anyone would admit it or not that blonde bitch had done a significant amount of damage to Junior's club. The entire ground floor would have to be restored, and a good amount of the second floor as well. Many of the low level grunts were out of commission for the time being and he would have to hire new muscle in order to keep the illegal cash flow coming in. On top of all of this was the lost revenue that would come with the place being shut down for an undetermined number of weeks.

In that moment Melanie came up with an idea which could prove to be helpful in more ways than one. "Miltia?" she asked, looking over to her sister.

Two sets of emerald eyes met as Miltia looked her way.

"Let's go out tonight," she said. "Just the two of us."

Miltia's brow narrowed in confusion at the sudden request. "Why? Weren't you just out?"

"Yeah, but it wasn't very fun. Besides, we both need to blow off some steam."

She saw how her sister's shoulders stiffened as she began to catch onto her meaning. "Where are we going?"

This time it was Melanie who shrugged. "Dunno. Who do you think we should collect from? The Blood Axes? The Amethyst Family?"

Being at the highest tier of Junior's organization brought with it the knowledge of just how many operations he was involved with in the city of Vale. The numerous gangs and crime families which inhabited the dark underbelly of the city were in a constant struggle with one another for territory and illicit markets. Weapons, dust and drugs were among the most profitable of them, and Junior had fingers in all of them. With his money, resources and influence, Junior was at the top of the food chain when it came to providing such goods for them as well as providing manpower for their operations.

"Isn't it a little early for next month's payment?" Miltia asked.

Melanie let out a soft laugh. "Then we'll just have to convince them to pay up early." Her face darkened as she looked at her sister. "Unless you don't wanna give Hei a little extra lien to help out."

Those words seemed to do the trick as she saw Miltia's gaze harden. Her tongue poked through to wet her lips as she pushed her chair out from the table and stood up. "Blood Axes," she said.

Melanie grinned as she mimicked her sister's action before she started heading toward the staircase door. "Shall we?"

Miltia nodded wordlessly before following her sister's lead.

The pair went upstairs in order to change into more appropriate attire for the night's activities. Collecting their weapons was a must as well, as it was sure to be an exciting and fun-filled outing. If it wasn't, Melanie would ensure that it turned into one.

Her pride still stung from how that stranger had so easily beaten both of them in a fight. She had to get back in the game. She and Miltia needed a victory in order to start repairing their confidence. Some lowlife thugs in the Blood Axe Gang would be a fine start. It would also be a reminder. Motivation to never go back to how things used to be.

With her favorite dress still out of commission she would be in need of something else capable of handling combat. Her boots were of course a must with their signature bladed heels. Going through her closet she went through a number of different outfits before finally settling on something that would give her enough durability and flexibility in a fight.

The white dress was short, reaching down only to the middle of her thighs leaving a little bit of skin exposed between it and her knee high boots. What made this dress stand out was how everything from the waist down looked to be made entirely out of feathers. Naturally it was far sturdier than that, but to the untrained eye it was a unique and exotic look that never failed to garner the attention of the men who frequented Junior's club.

Melanie reached down and tested the sharpness of her bladed boots. The immediate reaction of the Aura on her fingertip resisting the blade edges satisfied her. Bringing a pair of dull weapons to a fight would have been a bad move on her part.

Looking deeper inside the closet she saw her white and teal feathered boa hanging unused. Deciding that it would go well with both the color and style of her current dress, she slipped it around her shoulders, feeling a familiar sense of warmth and comfort upon doing so.

After checking her makeup in the room's large mirror she headed outside where Miltia was waiting for her.

Seeing her sister armed brought a grin to her face, but it was the fact that Miltia had also decided to don her own boa that made her feel excited about tonight.

"Let's go," Melanie said.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** I know it's been a few weeks since the last chapter. I'm currently working to try and get out of this little writing funk I've been in for a while.

Now that the first elements of Team RWBY have been introduced they'll become a more regular part of the cast. Not as important as the twins, but they'll be there doing their thing.

Hopefully you enjoyed the chapter. More to come.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note:** As always a big thank you goes out to everyone who's reading this story. I noticed a nice increase in attention since I advertised it in my latest Letters to Winter update. Excellent. My plan worked perfectly.

I know there are plenty of questions out there about what Jaune will be doing in this story, and I assure you there is a plan. There is a method behind the madness. He most certainly will not become a minor character in this story. I suppose you'll just have to wait and see.

I hope you enjoy the latest chapter.

* * *

He felt like he was going to be sick. And it wasn't just nerves.

Jaune gripped the handrail of the airship tightly as his head dropped down to stare at his boots. His big, sturdy, black boots. With steel tipped toes. _Yes. That's good. Focus on the boots. Focus on anything but the nausea._

He stood near a lone trash can just in case his queasy stomach got the better of him. Between it and him sat his guitar case, which he had decided to carry onto the ship itself rather than trust it to the transportation personnel like he had with his other luggage. Perhaps he would be able to play it during some of the downtime at Beacon Academy.

 _I wonder if I'll turn into one of those guys who sits barefoot under a tree playing a guitar..._

The sudden jolt of turbulence sent all such ideas from his mind, and nearly his lunch with them. Why did he have to be cursed with such a weakness? Of all the things that could cause him to become violently ill, why did it have to be motion sickness? No one took that seriously. No one could ever believe he was cool if they found out. Most of the time they did indeed find out the hard way, when he was spewing projectile vomit in their general direction. He couldn't let this new chapter in his life start out like that.

When Jaune had went back to Junior's club to report his success he was ecstatic. He had succeeded, at least in his mind he had. The man in white who had hired Junior's men had attempted to rob a local dust shop of only the dust and not its lien, information that he had relayed to the club owner which caused him a fair amount of confusion as well. Jaune was happy that he was not alone in that. To have a man who used to be a professional huntsman thinking along the same lines as himself only boosted his confidence.

After a brief discussion Junior had presented him with a hard copy of his forged transcripts. Jaune had been surprised that they were already finished. What if he had failed? What if he had been killed? Junior would have done the work for nothing. However Jaune was not about to look too deeply into it. Perhaps the man was just fast and efficient. In the end it didn't matter. He had upheld his end of the bargain, just as Jaune had his.

He was actually going to Beacon. He could hardly believe it. More than once already he had pinched the skin on his arm to ensure that it was not simply a dream he was having. When he was at last satisfied with the fact that he was on board the airship which would take him to his destination he finally allowed himself to relax. Sadly that relaxation had not lasted long, and soon enough he felt a faint rumbling in his stomach.

Jaune gripped his stomach with a gloved hand and squeezed, silently willing the organ which lay inside him to settle down and obey his will. At the same time he closed his eyes and took slow, deep breaths through his nostrils. At this point it didn't matter if people saw what he was doing so long as he did not vomit. He was off in a secluded corner with his back to the majority of the crowd anyway. For all they knew he was simply looking out the window and was amazed by the view of the city of Vale below.

The deep breaths continued to go in and out, and he gritted his teeth as he felt the contents of his stomach threatening to move up from their rightful home. His eyes drifted to the trash can, and a part of him wanted to hunch over it and just get the whole ordeal over with. However a sudden tap on his shoulder forced all of his focus from his internal battle and onto the person behind him.

Jaune turned expecting to find a stranger, but to his surprise found anything but. "Ruby?"

The tiny girl clad in her familiar black clothes and red cloak smiled as she looked up at him. "I knew it was you!"

The shock of seeing her dispelled all thoughts of motion sickness from his mind. Although it had been a few days since he had met the younger girl in the alley back in Vale, he did not think he had forgotten everything she had told him. Ruby was two years younger than him and she was jealous of the fact that he was going to be attending Beacon while she was not. So what was she doing on the airship taking them to the combat school?

He could not hide his surprise when he spoke. "What are you doing here? You know this ship is going to Beacon, right?"

"Yup!" she beamed happily. "Guess who got in early? Come on! Guess!"

The total and utter joy in her voice caused him to smile unknowingly. It reminded him of one of his little sisters whenever they were proud of their achievements, whether it was baking a cake all by themselves or beating his high score in a video game.

"I'm going to take a wild guess and say it was you?"

Her head nodded exaggeratedly. "Mhmm!"

"Wow, that's awesome. How did that happen?"

"Remember that huntress I was talking about back when we beat up the bad g- those criminals?" Jaune nodded in affirmation. "Well she took me to see Headmaster Ozpin. And he was so impressed with me that he decided to let me attend Beacon this year!"

Jaune could not blame the man. He had seen Ruby in action firsthand and was blown away by her skills. If a fifteen year old could thwart a robbery nearly single-handedly then there was no doubt that she was skilled enough to begin her training. The way she moved with that scythe of hers was simply incredible. It was like she had fought with it for years, and from what little he did know about her, she probably had.

There was however a small twinge of jealousy in his chest. He had had to forge his own transcripts in order to be allowed into Beacon. While he did have some training from his father, a skilled huntsman in his own right, he did not have anything near Ruby's credentials. She was a former student of Signal Academy. Sadly despite their age difference she was undoubtedly a more seasoned and skilled warrior than he was.

However he would prove to both himself and his family that he deserved to be in Beacon.

He didn't let any of his negative emotions show when he replied. "Well you deserve it," he told her with a smile. She returned it with one of her own. "Honestly I'm really happy for you. And for me. It would have really sucked going to Beacon without knowing anyone."

The smile on Ruby's face faded when she heard those words. "You don't know anyone else who's going?"

Jaune shook his head. _Remember. You studied in Mistral. You never went to Signal. She of all people would know._ "Nope. Everyone I went to school with decided to go to Haven Academy back in Mistral."

It hurt inside to lie to Ruby like that. But it wasn't like it was a malicious lie. Only a little white one. One necessary to keep his cover. Still, as much as he justified it to himself he felt awful about deceiving the young girl in front of him.

"Oh, yeah, that would suck." Her head lowered for a few seconds as one of her boots twisted back and forth on the floor. When her silver eyes met his gaze she spoke again. "It's kinda like that for me too. Since I graduated Signal early I don't know anyone either. Only my older sister and you." Her eyes went to the floor again. "I'm happy to have at least one friend."

In that moment it looked as if her eyes had become locked onto the floor of the airship and her face began to redden slightly. They stood there in silence for long seconds as Jaune waited for some kind of explanation for the sudden shift in behavior. It reminded him of how she had been acting when they had first met in the alley, before he had told her that he intended to attend Beacon Academy.

"Ruby?" he asked and began to lift his hand to place it on her shoulder. Before he could move it even an inch however he stopped, mentally reminding himself that she was not one of his sisters and that he could not act so informal around her. Nonetheless he continued with his inquiry. "You alright?"

He saw how the front one of her boots had begun to twist back and forth on the deck. A nervous habit perhaps? "It- it's nothing," she said softly. "I just kinda assumed we were friends even though we only met once a few days ago."

Jaune smiled warmly, and a part of him wanted to even laugh at how flustered she had gotten over something so silly. "Of course we're friends," he said sincerely. The words had caused Ruby to look up at him with those same hopeful eyes which he had seen back in the alley. "Why wouldn't we be?"

"Really? Even though we barely know each other?"

He shrugged at the question. "Well my mom did always tell me that strangers are just friends you haven't met yet. And we're not even strangers anymore after taking on those criminals together."

What Ruby didn't know however was that Jaune was far more involved in their little operation than he let on. However that did not change the fact that they had fought side by side against them. It wasn't like he was on their side or anything. In fact Ruby may very well have thought that it was cool that he was on a mission even before he was attending Beacon. However the questions that would raise were not ones he wanted to answer.

"I guess," she said. He noticed how she seemed to stand a little taller now and that the warm expression on her face had returned. "You're right. We did kick some serious butt out there too."

"Even though you did most of the kicking," he admitted. "There's some old saying about how the strongest bonds are forged on the battlefield. So yeah, we definitely qualify as friends."

Ruby nodded emphatically before she whipped out her scroll from her skirt. "Friends should have each other's scroll numbers," she said before shrinking back slightly once more. "If you want to, that is."

This time Jaune did laugh. Not at her, but more to say just how ridiculous her last sentence was. "Of course I want to," he said as he brought his own out from his pocket. He opened up his contact list and created a new entry. "Just put your info here and we'll be all set."

The girl beamed with happiness as she did the same before handing her scroll to him. Jaune looked down at the screen as he began putting his own name and number in her contacts. Right when he finished and pressed the accept button he heard an unusual noise which he almost mistook for having come from the scroll itself.

Looking back up at Ruby he saw that a taller blonde girl had come up behind her and wrapped her arms around the redhead. Ruby had let out a tiny squeak of surprise that could only be compared to a dog's chew toy. The girl then held his scroll out to him, waving frantically for him to take it back. He did so, placing her own in her other hand at the same time.

"There you are," the blonde said as the exchange was taking place. "I was wondering where you'd run off to." She released Ruby before turning her attention toward him. "I turn my back for one second and she's gone. I swear sometimes it's like having to look after a toddler."

"Yaaang!" Ruby whined softly. The crimson tint had returned to her skin as her gaze once more reverted to the ground.

The blonde looked at her and then back to Jaune before a mischievous grin spread across her lips. "What's this? Abandoning your big sis to go talk with a boy? Ruby Rose I don't know whether I should be proud or concerned."

So the blonde was her sister? That made sense. They were obviously very familiar with one another if this behavior was anything to go by. The two looked nothing alike, however, but he supposed it didn't mean much. Not everyone could be a golden-haired child like he and his sisters.

Jaune felt a rumbling in his stomach. This was exactly what he did not need right now.

The smaller girl shook her head vehemently at the accusation. "No no, Yang! It's not like that! This is Jaune," she said as she extended her arm toward him. "He's one of the people I was telling you about the other night. He had my back during the dust shop robbery. And Jaune, this is my older sister Yang."

There was a slight lurch on the airship. Turbulence? He didn't know. All he knew was that his earlier queasiness had returned in full force. Not even the distraction of Ruby could keep it from his mind anymore.

"Oh yeah?" Yang asked interestedly as she looked back at him. She stepped forward and extended her hand. "Like Rubes said, my name is Yang. Nice to meet-"

Another jolt of the ship was the final straw. Turning to his side his eyes were forced closed and he did his best to aim through sheer memory. The contents of Jaune's stomach spilled forth from his mouth and into the trash can. Both girls recoiled in horror to the sudden surge of bodily fluid, but even Yang's quick reaction time could not prevent a small amount of the substance from splattering up from its new home and onto her boots.

To her credit however she did not scream or panic in response. Where many people of both genders would have been freaked out by the sudden disgusting outpour, she seemed to take it in stride. At least that was what the lack of a vocal response told him.

Sheer and utter embarrassment filled Jaune's being. Here he was speaking with a funny, quirky and admittedly cute girl who was soon to be his classmate, as well as her blonde bombshell of an older sister, and his body finally caves to its weakness? Now of all times? What would they think of him? Would Ruby immediately ask that he delete her number from his scroll? Would Yang's face twist with disgust at his uncontrollable reaction to motion sickness?

He turned back to them expecting the worst, a small almost silent apology slipping from his still wet and foul-tasting mouth. However rather than seeing looks of disdain or anger, he saw concern from Ruby, while Yang herself only seemed to look amused.

"Wow," the blonde girl said. "You know, that really isn't the typical first reaction that guys have to me."

Meanwhile Ruby, feeling that it was safe to approach the splash zone, quickly came up to him and placed a hand on Jaune's back. "Are you alright, Jaune? Do you need to see a nurse or something?"

He waved off her concern as he sought to get actual words out of his mouth this time. "I'm fine," he said roughly. "Just motion sickness. Happens every time I fly."

Ruby smiled weakly as she rubbed his back softly a few times before he finally stood up straight, her hand removing itself from him in the process. "Okay. We're almost there, so just hang on a little longer."

Jaune glanced out the window to see that they were indeed approaching the school. Beacon Academy. It stood high above the rest of Vale, a near impregnable fortress that was filled to the brim with both budding and actual warriors. Soon he would join the ranks of those warriors. They all would. He would show everyone what determination and grit could gain a person in life.

Even from this distance he could make out the beautiful architecture of the school. The tall towers, the huge glass windows which adorned the campus' buildings. It was like a fairy tale come to life. In those tall spires he could imagine knights and princesses living there, with tapestries adorning the walls depicting tales of slaying dragons and creatures of Grimm alike from times long since past. Maybe someday people would sing songs of him. Wishful thinking of course, but maybe someone, someday, would remember him for his noble deeds. For the people he was determined to save.

Even with his motion sickness the mere sight of Beacon seemed to cast all illness from his body. He strode up to the airship's large window and gripped the handrail once more. It truly was breathtaking. It seemed that he was not the only one to think so.

Ruby had joined him, standing at his side as she took looked out at what would soon be their new home. "It's really amazing, isn't it."

He nodded wordlessly. Amazing was the right word for the place. Amazing could describe everything up to this point. He had set his goal and he had achieved it. Despite the odds and despite everyone who said that it wasn't a good idea, he was here. He was living his dream.

"I don't really know what to expect," she continued. "It's just something I've always wanted to do. Being a huntress, that is. I don't know the details about how they actually teach us to be hunters."

Jaune didn't either. It didn't matter, however. He was determined to do his best here.

"But I do know a little about teams. My dad told me that when he went to Beacon teams had four people. It's where he met my mom. Oh, and my uncle too!" Out of the corner of his eye Jaune saw how Ruby's gaze shifted down to the floor once more. "Maybe we could be on a team together. Yang too."

He smiled at the idea. "I'd like that."

"Yeah. With the three of us we'd be unstoppable. Then we'd have a fourth person who could be another best friend. And we could do all sorts of cool stuff together like weapon maintenance, and dust ammunition quality inspections, late night cookie runs..."

A third voice came from behind them. "Ruby, if you're trying to convince a person to team up with you then you shouldn't scare them away with your weapon nerdiness." Yang joined them, presumably after wiping the small traces of vomit from her boots. She leaned with her arms up against the rail as she too stared out the window.

"I am not scaring him away," Ruby shot back defensively. Her features softened as he turned back to look up at him. "I'm not, am I? Yang says I can get a little weird with my whole weapon obsession..."

Jaune chuckled softly at the question. "Not one bit," he said with a smile. "I think it's really cool, actually."

The words seemed to please Ruby, as a smug grin spread across her features before she turned back to look at her sister. "See? Jaune says it's cool."

Yang snorted out a soft laugh. "Yeah, and Jaune's also the guy who threw up from motion sickness on an airship. Not exactly the guy I'd go to for advice on coolness." She paused for a second and shrugged lightly. "No offense."

He couldn't exactly dispute her point there. He had been afraid of such a perception just prior to the two girls talking to him. "None taken. But I'll have you know that motion sickness is a much more common problem than you think."

"Said exactly nobody else here on the airship," Yang said as her arms stretched out to motion to the many other teenagers who were on their way to Beacon.

"Yeah? Well..." Jaune's shoulders slumped in defeat when he realized he had no counterargument. "Yeah okay you've got me there."

Yang moved over and gave him a hard slap on the back. "Aw, cheer up, Jaune. Even though you did puke all over the place you still managed to befriend Ruby and her hot sister. That has to count for something, right?"

He felt all of the air leave his lungs with the blow, and it was only his firm grip on the rail which kept him upright. That girl must not have known her own strength.

"Um, he actually already befriended me a few days ago, remember?"

"Psh, whatever," Yang said dismissively. "Try not to look so clingy, Ruby. If the weapons talk doesn't scare him off then that will."

Despite the joking tone in which Yang had made the statement, Ruby pouted and narrowed her eyes at her sister. "I'm not being clingy! Jaune's just the only other person here I know beside you. Unlike you I didn't get to take all my friends from Signal with me. And he didn't get to take any of his friends from Mistral with him."

Right. He was from Mistral and he had to remember that. It was important to keep that part of his cover intact.

Jaune nodded in agreement to what Ruby said. "Yeah, Ruby's the only person at Beacon I know. Well, now I know you too I suppose. So it's nice to have someone to talk to. Nothing clingy about what Ruby said."

The older girl smirked and shook her head. "Wow, agreeing with each other about everything already? Ruby, are you sure that all you want from him is being partners?"

Ruby's face almost turned the color of her cloak with her sister's taunting question. However before either she or Jaune could respond to it a voice came over the ship's speakers.

 _We are beginning our final approach to Beacon Academy. At this time we ask all passengers to return to their seats and fasten their seatbelts for landing._

Excitement filled Jaune's body. They were nearly there. Soon enough the whole motion sickness incident would just be a funny story to be told to new friends and teammates. He hadn't even arrived yet and he already had two friends. Soon he would learn all sorts of new things about Grimm, about Aura, about fighting. He wondered what other incredible lessons the school would teach him.

Above all else, however, soon his new life would begin.

* * *

Wild and unrestrained laughter filled the room as another man was tossed to the side with strength unbefitting for someone of her stature. Melanie grinned mischievously as she reveled in her dominance over those who had been sent against her. The thrill of having her way with those who dared to oppose her was like a drug, and she needed her fix. She needed to show them that they were weaker than her. More than that, however, she needed to show herself.

Was this how the blonde girl had felt all those nights ago?

The small trace of fear which crossed her mind quickly turned to anger, and Melanie's face twisted into a violent sneer as she walked over to another crumpled man on the floor a few feet away from her and yanked him to his feet. He struggled and attempted to fight back, but even if he had been uninjured he would have been no match for both Melanie and her twin sister.

She threw him up against the wall before extending one of her long legs to press her heel up against his throat. The action put no stress or tension on the flexible fighter as she held her position for long seconds as she witnessed the man trying desperately to pry the offending heel off of his neck. Melanie was taking care to not actually choke him or cut off the flow of oxygen. She wanted to draw it out as long as possible.

The man's eyes looked fearfully down at the blade on her heel before drifting up her leg all the way to her hip. Melanie smirked at the idea of someone could find her attractive even while she held his life in the palm of her hand. "Naughty boy," she teased in a playful tone. She lifted a hand to point at her face. "My eyes are up here."

The moment his eyes met her own she lowered her leg and the man brought his hands up to his throat as he tried to collect his thoughts. He did not have long, as the raven-haired girl brought her other leg up to strike underneath his chin and knock him out cold.

Her words were coy and mocking, but there was no doubting the truth behind them. The Blood Axe Gang were one of the many criminal groups who inhabited Vale's seedy underbelly in the same way that Junior's organization did. The members wore almost inverted attire of Junior's own men with blood-red suits and black sunglasses, but it was their weapons which had earned them their name. Each carried a cruel looking red axe which along with an assortment of small arms would have been dangerous to most people they encountered in the criminal underworld. Melanie and Miltia were far different than most people. They had been trained by a former huntsman and had from an early age seen the despicable actions that humanity was capable of. To both of them survival and their own well-being came first, and nothing would stand in the way of their own happiness.

The previous night's attempt at getting what they were after had turned out to be a bust. Melanie and Miltia had been so prepared to go out and have a good time, while at the same time collecting the lien that they were entitled to in order to help out Junior. As it had turned out the gang hideout they had visited was not their primary safe house, which had left the twins with little to show for their efforts. They did, however, manage to squeeze a few important details out of those who had inhabited the place. The location of the warehouse in which they now stood was the most important piece of information.

A pair of cruel, almost bored looking eyes drifted lazily over to where another man was pulling himself to his feet. He had been just another victim of her penchant for violence, and from the looks of it he had no wish to be on the receiving end of any more. If he had it his way he would probably be out the door at the first opportunity. However Melanie was not about to let him go before she got what she had come for. None of them were allowed to leave just yet.

The lighting of the room glinted off of her bladed heels as she made her way over to him. Much like with the man before him she "assisted" him to his feet, holding him by the front of his red suit and pressing him up against the wall that he had only seconds earlier been using as a stabilizing presence.

"The lien," she said smoothly, her tone a stark contrast to the bouts of vicious violence she had displayed only seconds earlier. "Where is it?"

The man grimaced, briefly flashing his teeth and squeezing his eyes shut as he mustered the strength to formulate a reply. "Fuck you," he managed to spit out.

Melanie rolled her eyes. "In your dreams." A knee to the gut later the man doubled over only to be thrust back up against the wall, his shirt still in the iron-grip of the white-clad girl. His breathing came out in ragged gasps now, in no small part due to the damage that she had just inflicted upon his torso. "I'll ask one more time. Where's our lien?"

A strange but familiar sensation began prodding Melanie in the back of her mind. It wasn't good nor was it bad. She struggled to even put into words a way to describe it. It wasn't an itching sensation, nor was it a burning feeling. In a way it was like experiencing déjà vu, only you knew exactly what your mind was trying to tell you. You knew because it was an innate part of your very being.

Melanie released her grip on the man and took a few steps backward as he slumped against the wall, unable to fully hold himself up with his own power. Her eyes were still locked onto him as she bent over at the waist just in time for her sister to roll across her back and deliver a punishing kick to the man who had been attempting to sneak up on her. She had realized he was there all along but knew that Miltia would be there to make the save, and so did not even bother lifting a finger to protect herself. To a casual observer it would appear to be tried and tested teamwork practiced together for years. The truth however was that such perfection came naturally to the twins. It was part of what made them special.

A glance over to where her sister had gone revealed that she too was eager for this fight. It was just as she had said a couple days ago, they both needed to blow off some steam. Miltia picked the man she had just struck up once more before going to work with her wrist-mounted claws. The telltale swishing sound of claws slicing through the air was music to Melanie's ears. She loved how her own combat high would affect her sister's emotions to such a degree. She loved when her more docile sister came alive with such feral aggression.

With that threat taken care of, and the assurance that her twin would be there to watch her back, Melanie turned to her target once again. The hateful glare which he gave her only served to amuse her. "Well?" she asked, following up on the ultimatum she had given only seconds earlier.

"You're not getting anything," he said with bitter defiance. "No one's gonna give you shit anymore."

No one? Did this man know who she was? Did he not know on whose behalf she was here? A small frown crossed Melanie's lips at the thought of the last question. Technically she was here of her own accord. Junior had not sent her and Miltia to collect from the Red Axe Gang on this night. He had no idea what she and her sister were out doing right now. They were here by their own doing. They were simply collecting what was theirs.

Extortion, racketeering... these were such ugly little words. This wasn't either of those things, contrary to what those on the other side of the law might say. This was simply the way things were. It was the natural order of the world. Junior was in charge of Vale's underworld and the rest of the gangs fell in line. The strong devoured the weak. Melanie was determined to never be weak again.

"I don't think you know who you're talking to," she said as she stepped back over to the man, a single hand on her hip as she glared at him. "Maybe I need to knock a little more sense into you."

He spat off to the side. "I know who you are. Junior's little attack dogs. What's wrong, he too scared to come out himself after getting hit?"

Melanie's lip twitched at the insult of the man who was far more to her than just a boss. She spun around with the grace of a dancer, pivoting on her left foot as she sent a punishing roundhouse kick into his ribs. Had it not been for his Aura she was certain that such a blow would have left a few ribs cracked, but luckily for him all it resulted in was a coughing fit as he slowly slid down the wall to rest on his backside.

Her eyes watched as he sunk down to the floor, and bent her knees to hunch over to regard him with the same hatred he had been sending her way. "You need to learn your place. I'll be happy to teach you a lesson."

Perhaps the blow had more of an impact than she initially thought, for when the man opened his mouth again she saw the telltale crimson color on his tongue and lips. "I'm not saying anything that anybody doesn't already know. Everyone in Vale knows that Junior got hit a few days ago. Everyone knows he got beaten by a little girl."

The words sent chills through Melanie's skin. Had the information spread that quickly? Was that why the Blood Axe Gang was not submitting to them? Was that why this man was speaking so brazenly against her employer?

It was likely those useless henchmen who were no longer a part of Junior's organization who had spread such knowledge. Rats. Snitches. Cowards. There was a reason that Junior trusted only herself and Miltia with any sort of important information. The three of them were family, and one never betrayed their family.

Or perhaps it was the blonde girl herself who was gloating about her victory. Melanie had not seen her since then. She didn't even know what organization she was a part of. However if she ever saw the girl again then she would settle the score. Things would turn out differently the second time around.

She shook her head clear of such thoughts as she returned to the present. "Yeah? Well that doesn't change a thing. You're only allowed to do business in Vale because we say so. So pay up or else we'll trash your whole operation."

Somehow the man felt confident enough to let a blood-stained, toothy grin spread across his face. "You don't get it, do you? You're not the ones in charge anymore. Things around here are about the change forever."

Melanie's eyes narrowed dangerously on the defeated man. "What are you talking about?"

"Vale has a new top dog running the yard. And unlike Junior and his two bitches, this beast has _fangs_."

That last insult was the final straw for the girl who stood up with cold, emotionless eyes looking down upon her enemy. A second later she screamed, lashing out with another kick into his torso. Again and again she cried out, each time delivering a savage blow to the man, uncaring of which part of his body it landed on. He had attempted to shield himself from the blows the best he could, but after a couple of shots to the head he slumped over. His clear unconsciousness did not deter the young woman, and with each kick her pristine, white knee-high boots came closer to resembling the crimson shade of her sisters.

A pair of arms wrapped themselves around her torso to pull her back. Had it been anyone else she might have lashed out with an elbow, mistaking them for another foe. However Melanie knew that it had been Miltia. As a result she simply allowed herself to be dragged a few feet away from the bloody and unconscious man of the Blood Axe Gang who had dared to voice his challenge against her and Junior.

"Melanie," the calm voice said in a firm tone. The effect was almost instantaneous as Melanie felt a soothing sensation passing through her. It was enough to dim her rage. "It's over. Leave him alone."

Heavy breaths shot through her mouth as her chest heaved up and down. The handiwork of her assault was on his side up against the wall, a small amount of blood dribbling from his mouth. At this point she had little doubt that he had internal injuries. His Aura would heal them in time, however, and she was not concerned over that fact. She had done what she needed to do not only to blow off steam, but to prove a point as well. Junior was still dangerous. Junior was still in charge. No one incident would change that.

Melanie's hands drifted down to rest atop her sister's, which still clutched her around her waist. "I'm okay," she said, letting out one more long breath as Miltia still did not let go. Her fingers squeezed gently on Miltia's in order to prove her point. "Really. I'm alright now."

Miltia finally released her twin, and Melanie took a step away from her before turning around. In doing so she finally took in the full scope of just what the two had accomplished on this night.

The bodies of men in red, perhaps ten in total, were scattered around the warehouse. Some lay prone on the floor, others slumped up against crates and boxes. Only one or two still stirred, the rest being knocked out cold from the savage and sustained assault courtesy of the twins. Those who were still awake had the sense not to stand up again to try to challenge them or flee. They knew their place after the demonstration. It was a shame the same could not be said for the gang as a whole as it related to Junior.

Melanie ran a hand through long, raven hair, her hand coming to rest atop the ornamental flower which decorated her luscious locks. Looking down at her boots she saw just how sullied they were with her fallen foe's blood. They would most likely need to professionally cleaned. Yet another bill to pay in a time when they needed to be financially savvy. First her dress and now this. The entire situation vexed her.

"What was he talking about?" Miltia asked, disrupting Melanie from her thoughts.

The older twin glanced back over at the man who had dared speak so candidly about the situation in Vale's criminal underworld. "He was talking shit about Hei," she said simply.

"That much? Like, enough to make you react like that?"

It was more than just badmouthing Junior, however. The man had brought up the nightclub incident with the blonde. That, along with talk of a new player in town, had been the final straw. All of the stress. The humiliation. The shame of defeat. The worry over their future. Melanie had been teetering on a razor's edge for days now. Tonight she had finally been pushed over the edge.

Melanie crossed her arms as she continued to stare at him. "He said there was a new player in town or something. Someone who was going to replace Hei."

She didn't see the look on Miltia's face, but she did hear a murmur of thought come from her sister's lips. "Did he say who?"

"Nope."

She turned back to her sister in time to see a look of concern in Miltia's eyes. "I don't like this, Melanie."

"Me neither, Miltia."

"If everyone in Vale puts up a fight like tonight..."

Miltia did not need to finish her thought for Melanie to understand the implications. The Blood Axe gang was one of several smaller factions under the thumb of Junior. It was as she had said earlier, they knew their place. Junior was the top dog, and everyone else followed. They paid their dues and were allowed to operate in peace, so long as it did not interfere with Junior's own business.

However if the news of Junior's defeat spread this quickly then things could change forever. If he was no longer placed at the top of the food chain then that would leave room for a new boss to take over. Was this the faction which the Blood Axe member had spoke of before? Even if it wasn't true, nature abhorred a vacuum. Soon enough infighting would take place until someone came out on top. And while that was happening no one would have any respect for Junior anymore. No one would have any fear of him anymore. The lien would stop coming. Enemies would be all around them. Life as they knew it would change forever.

The thought of it all was terrifying. This was no longer simply about getting a little extra lien to help Junior pay the bills after their club was trashed. This would be a war for survival.

The natural order had been disrupted, and soon enough Vale would become a dustkeg ready to explode.

Junior needed to know. However she was not about to tell her sister all of these thoughts. There was no need to increase her concern when Miltia was already having doubts over Junior's financial situation. It was best to continue to act naturally. They had a mission to complete, after all. It was about time that they finished the job.

"Come on," Melanie said simply, motioning with her head for Miltia to follow.

Clicking heels echoed through the large, silent warehouse as the twins strode through it. Scattered all around them were the crates which likely contained all manner of illegal contraband. However things like dust and weapons did not concern the two girls. Illegal materials such as these did not concern them. It was not what their role was in Junior's organization. Perhaps in time some of the grunts would be sent here to retrieve what they could in order to sell for a profit, but for right now all Melanie was looking for was cold, hard lien.

Crates and containers soon gave way to several small wooden tables and chairs. A number of small machines sat atop them, and Melanie recognized them as the ones which sorted and counted lien notes into neat stacks for the ease of storage and transportation. Her eyes drifted over a few feet, and there sitting on the floor was a large metal safe. She had little doubt that what they were looking for was inside.

Melanie hunched over when she reached the safe, and pulled on the handle in hope life being easy and it being unlocked. She frowned upon having no such luck, and with a sigh turned to her sister. "Wanna do the honors?"

Miltia shrugged, bringing up her long, savage claws and scraping them together for effect like a chef would sharpen a knife. It served no real purpose, but the older twin smirked nonetheless at the display.

Razor-sharp blades forged from hard steel rained down upon the door of the safe, and more specifically the number dial which would have granted its owner access. The screeching noise filled the air, and people not used to being around Miltia and her weapons may have raised their hands to cover her ears. However Melanie was used to the noise. She enjoyed the noise, and she licked her lips thinking about the prize which would soon be theirs.

Miltia's slashes became furious, and the constant blow of metal on metal was soon sending tiny sparks out from the metal door of the safe. However after a few more moments she had finally achieved her goal. The weak point of the safe, that part which was not made of metal, fell apart. The dial had been obliterated leaving a fatal flaw in the device. Much like with any door, it was far easier to gain access to when the lock had been removed entirely.

As the door swung open both girls were pleased to see a plain black suitcase sitting inside it. Miltia reached down to grab it before placing it on the nearby table. After unclasping the restraints which kept it sealed the top was flipped open to reveal its contents.

Melanie was always amused when real life imitated the movies. Or perhaps it was the movies which imitated real life. In any case, the sight of rows of lien notes stacked neatly inside of the briefcase filled her heart with joy. Judging by the colors she had to guess there was at least a couple of thousand lien inside. Without bothering to take the time to count it all, she reached inside to take out a single stack.

Counting it out in her hand she could not stop a smirk from gracing her lips. A couple hundred lien would do for now. "I'm hungry," she said as she glanced over to Miltia. "Wanna get some food? It's on me."

Her twin shot her a quizzical look. "Since when do you pay for anything?"

Melanie feigned insult at the question. "I'm like, insulted, _Miltia_. I'm all about charity and whatever."

"So not."

The older sister huffed in annoyance, conceding the point. "Fine, whatever. It's not my lien that's buying," she said as she waved the stack in her hand.

She saw Miltia's shoulders stiffen at those words, her tone softening as she spoke. "I thought that lien was for Hei."

"Yeah, well... ten percent finder's fee." Melanie looked down and divided the number of notes in her half, placing an equal number in both hands. "But if you don't want your share I'll take it myself."

Miltia glared at her for long seconds before sighing. She held out a hand, wagging her fingers softly. "Fine. Gimmie."

Melanie grinned as she placed the lien in her sister's open palm.

Satisfied that she had made the right decision, Melanie gestured for her sister to follow.

Devastation surrounded them. Broken bodies and tables reminded her of what they themselves had gone through only days earlier. Now they were on the other side of such a massacre. The thugs of the Blood Axe gang had never stood a chance.

If what one of their number said was true, then war was coming. Junior would need to recover and do so fast. He, as well as she and her sister would all need to be at their best to maintain order in their world. Tonight had turned out to be an unintentional start to doing so. There would be more nights like this to come.

Especially if the rumor of a new top dog in town turned out to be true.

* * *

Jaune laid his head back against his pillow. A long breath escaped his mouth as he stared up at the ceiling. All in all, life was good.

What a day it had been. He was finally here at Beacon. Thankfully he was not alone. Ruby and Yang were nearby, the two a little bit quieter than usual after having a small altercation with an even smaller white-haired girl. She had taken notice of him too, but wasn't entirely sure that scraggly was a compliment. Still, it was better than indifference, right? Maybe she would end up being the fourth member of the four-person teams which Ruby had spoken of earlier.

He wasn't entirely sure how teams worked or what the morning would bring. However with the lights out at the moment he supposed that he should get some sleep. He wasn't sure if his body would be able to. Every part of him was filled with excitement. This would be the first chapter of his new life. He would soon become the hero he had always dreamed of being. Nothing would stand in his way.

The possibilities filled his mind as he closed his eyes and slowly drifted off to sleep. In the darkness no one could see the happy smile plastered on his lips.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** What may seem like a transitional chapter will prove to be far more important than it may seem at first. In many different ways.

Questions, comments or concerns? Let me know and I'll do my best to answer. As always any sort of feedback is appreciated, because if you don't tell me why I suck I can never get better!

Thanks for reading. I hope you liked it.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note:** Well it seems that this site's alert system was down when I posted the last chapter of this story. So if you haven't done so already, go and catch up on that before reading this one.

As always, a big thank you goes out to everyone for reading and reviewing. I know the Malachites are seriously under-represented in stories, and as a result don't have a ton of fans. So for so many people to have taken an interest in this story really means a lot to me. Hopefully soon more people will see the beauty of the Hellebores ship! All credit goes to a dude named Zaynal for the ship name.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter.

* * *

Today was the day he had been waiting for.

Jaune had awoken earlier in the morning without the aid of his scroll's alarm. The more he thought about it, the more he realized it was something of a norm for the young man. Whenever he had some sort of important event or meeting coming up in his life, it did not matter how little sleep he had received the night before. His body, his very subconscious were aware of it enough to force him to wake up in anticipation for the event hours before the time he had set.

It had not been long after that when the rest of the potential students had begun waking up. Some did so on their own, others with the aid of their scrolls. By that point Jaune had already prepared himself and was fully dressed in his combat attire. Well, to him it was combat attire, at the very least. Most people would consider blue jeans and a hoodie to be street clothes, but it was the white armor plates that would soon adorn his torso which made him different. Then again in a world infested with the creatures of Grimm it might not have been a bad idea for the average citizen to wear armor.

His fingers reached down to his side to instinctively grip the blue leather of Crocea Mors' handle before he remembered that it wasn't there. It, along with his armor, was safely secured in one of the lockers in Beacon's changing rooms. He longed for the feeling of his prized family blade in his hands. Today it would finally get a chance to be unleashed for real. The night with Ruby against the mercenary thugs from Junior's club hadn't counted. That had barely been a fight on his part, considering that Ruby had done the vast majority of the work.

He also refused to count the odd Beowolf here and there that he had managed to take out during his training back home. Those incidents had all been supervised and artificially induced. His father would take him out into the wilderness and lure one of the creatures so that Jaune could test his mettle against it. All the while his father would be standing on the sidelines watching over him like a hawk, always ready to jump in at a moment's notice should something go awry. It hadn't been real combat. Not when there was a safety net there ready to catch him should he fall.

No, today he would finally succeed on his own merits. He would prove to his father that he had what it took to be a huntsman. He would prove that this was his life to live, and that he did not need anyone's approval to live it how he wanted.

Over in the distance Jaune saw that the only two people he knew at Beacon were awake now as well. Well, one was awake. The other looked like the walking dead, a pale shadow of her former self who slowly walked as if she was under the spell of another.

Jaune smiled as he approached them. Ruby caught his eye and waved excitedly as he neared. It appeared that she was just as excited as he was, as she was practically bouncing up and down in place. The fact that she was also fully dressed spoke volumes of her eagerness to get things underway.

"Hey, Jaune!" she greeted happily. "It's almost time, I can't believe it!" She let out a soft squeal as she brought her hands up to her mouth in a vain attempt to stifle it. Her eyes drifted over to her left to regard the zombie beside her. "How can these people not be totally hyped?"

Jaune followed her gaze to where Yang still slowly trudged along, her back hunched over and neck hanging down limply as if the floor of Beacon was the most interesting thing in the world.

The way that Yang slowly brought up her arm made him think for a brief moment that she was about to respond to her sister's comment with a rude gesture. Instead she merely flicked her wrist to dismissively wave off the younger girl.

"Not now, Ruby," she said with a tired yawn. "It's way too early for this and I haven't had a shower yet."

Ruby placed her hands on her hips and shook her head lightly. "Only you would care about taking a shower before we go running off into the forest to fight Grimm." A tight smirk curled on her lips. "What, you wanna look your best for the big scary monsters?"

The guttural noise which sounded from the back of the blonde girl's throat resembled a Beowolf's growl more than human speech. To Jaune this would have been a very clear sign to back off and not taunt the girl who clearly was not a morning person. However it would seem that Ruby and Yang shared a very different relationship than he did from his older sisters.

"Try not to take too long," Ruby said as her sister walked away from them. "Initiation starts in a couple hours and I don't want you spending all that time on your hair instead of eating breakfast!"

Once more Yang did not reply with words, but rather than another growl or a fierce roar she merely lifted her hand once more and gave a single, lazy wave as she continued walking.

Ruby shrugged and accepted the gesture before turning back to Jaune. "So speaking of breakfast, wanna go get something to eat? I'm starving!"

The mere mention of food caused a hunger which Jaune had not known existed to come to the forefront of his mind. Perhaps it had just been his body's excitement and adrenaline rush suppressing the desire to eat.

"Yeah," he agreed. "Sounds good."

Making their way through the sea of students, the two teens began moving with the majority of the herd to the large room which they had previously learned was the cafeteria. Most of the prospective hunters had food on their minds more than cleanliness, because if rumors were to be believed they would be sent off into the unknown to battle against creatures of Grimm in order to prove their worth. To most people the idea of a full belly was more appealing than smelling nice. In addition the fact that they would most likely need a shower after the initiation process made taking one before seem pointless.

The lines for food seemed horribly long at first, but Jaune and Ruby quickly realized that like every other part of Beacon that they had seen so far, even the cafeteria strived for efficiency. Students moved from place to place as if they were on an assembly line, quickly getting their trays filled with whatever it was that their hearts and stomachs desired on what could only be called the most important day of their young lives.

Jaune could barely keep himself from salivating as he looked over the dazzling array of food which was at his disposal. It made sense, given that the defenders of humanity would need to be as healthy capable as possible. There would be no shortage of vitamins and nutrients in the meals here at Beacon.

For himself he chose what he perceived to be a classically balanced breakfast. All of the necessities were calculated out in his mind. Bacon and eggs would provide protein for his muscles, while an assortment of fruits and vegetables would fill him with vitamins and sugar. A glass of milk would give his bones calcium to keep them strong. The toast would give him fiber. He still wasn't sure what fiber was or what it did for him, but he had heard the word enough in cereal commercials to realize its importance.

Then again Pumpkin Pete's Marshmallow Flakes seemed to be strangely lacking in that department for some reason. Maybe it wasn't too important after all.

Looking over to Ruby's tray he realized that she had a far different idea of what a good breakfast consisted of. "Ruby?"

The eyes which had been staring down at her meal looked up at him with a hint of mischief in their silver irises. "Yeah?"

"Is that really all you're getting?"

She followed his accusing finger to look back down at her food. Two plates sat on her tray. One consisted of freshly sliced strawberries. The other held a small pile of chocolate chip cookies. He saw a tiny lump in her throat appear and quickly vanish as she looked down intently at her breakfast.

Ruby spoke again without bothering to look back up to him. "Yep."

He shrugged. Obviously the girl knew better than him when it came to her eating habits.

The two found an empty table. Or at least empty enough that there were a couple of empty spots from the nearest others. Hopefully they would stay vacant long enough for Yang to be able to grab a seat and enjoy her own breakfast with them.

Speaking of Yang, a question which had been at the back of his mind suddenly returned to the forefront. "Does Yang really take that long in the shower?"

Ruby looked up at him mid-chew, interrupting her from the process of devouring the first of her cookies. "Wha?" she asked.

He smiled at the puzzled expression on her face. Her cheeks were so stuffed with cookies that she resembled a squirrel which had just hoarded a treasure trove of nuts for transport back to its home. "I mean, you made it seem like Yang's going to spend the next two hours doing her hair. Is she?"

A large gulp to finish off the cookies preceded Ruby's response. "Maybe," she shrugged. "But I think even she knows not to take _that_ long today. And that she'll need food to keep up her strength during initiation."

The fact that Ruby spoke of the value of nutrition made him once again think about her choice in meals. Another tiny smirk curled on his lips as he watched her snatch up one baked good after another with all the speed and enthusiasm of a small child on a sugar high. The truth may not have been too far off.

The indistinct hum of dozens of conversations going on at once filled their ears as a comfortable silence settled over them. Jaune continued to eat his food as he looked around, occasionally catching sight of Ruby spearing two or three strawberries at a time on her fork like a fisherman would harpoon fish. He couldn't help but feel how the two of them were going to get along very well. She wasn't like a lot of other girls he had met in his life. She didn't appear to care about outward appearances or making a good impression. From what he knew about her she loved guns, huntresses and food. What more could one ask for in a friend?

As if to emphasize his private thought, Ruby suddenly slammed a fist on the table. "I'm so excited!" she squealed, instantly earning his attention once more. "After today we're going to be on a team. And then we can do all sorts of cool stuff together officially. I really wanna go out crime fighting with you again! That was so cool, it was like we were real hunters!"

Her enthusiasm was infectious and Jaune once again felt himself smiling. He was aware of just how much he did so around Ruby, and wondered if his face would eventually permanently twist into some horrifying smiling sneer just through the sheer volume of smiling. Well, he supposed there were worse things that could happen than to smile too much.

"That was pretty cool," he agreed. "And yeah, I hope we get to do that some more too." _But hopefully not anything involving Junior again..._ his mind continued. The last thing he needed was to have a run-in with the organization whose boss could finger him as a phony.

Idle small talk continued until both of their plates were nearly empty. Even by that time Yang had still not reappeared to join them, but Jaune chalked that up to what Ruby had said earlier. While it may not take the entire two hours for the blonde girl to ready herself for the day, clearly she took longer than most. Ruby had known that and called her out on it. In the end Ruby had been right.

Both were interrupted from their conversation when a feminine voice sounded on the PA system above them. _"Jaune Arc, please report to the deputy headmaster's office."_

His brow furrowed in confusion, and after sitting there for a moment he looked over at Ruby once more to see her imitating his own expression. "What do you think that's about?" he asked her.

She shrugged slightly. "Dunno. Maybe they're doing last minute stuff with all the students."

He nodded absentmindedly. She could have been right, but the lack of any other announcements concerning other students dispelled that possibility. Well, there was only one way to find out.

"I guess I'll head down there and see what's up," he said as he pushed himself up from the table. She remained sitting there, undoubtedly waiting for her sister.

"Okay. You'd better not be late for initiation!"

Once again he nodded, this time in agreement. "Yup. I wouldn't want to mess up our chances of teaming up."

There was no prolonged farewell as he walked out of the cafeteria. After all, the two of them would be reuniting before initiation began. This was merely a minor distraction from what was a well-planned morning. Still, he wondered why exactly he was being summoned to the deputy headmaster's office.

Surely he wasn't in trouble, right? He hadn't done anything bad since arriving yesterday. It was probably just something about finalizing his admittance to Beacon, confirming emergency contact details, and all of the usual stuff that came with attending a school. Administrators liked to make sure everything was done properly, and it was probably doubly true in a combat school like this. In this line of work things like having the scroll numbers of family and knowing the blood type of the huntsman in question could be life-savers.

He and Ruby had gotten the lay of the land the previous afternoon when they had arrived and when Yang subsequently ditched them to hang out with her own friends from Signal. Ruby hadn't been adverse to the situation since she claimed that she would be just fine with her own new friend, referring to him of course. The idea flattered Jaune that she already considered him a worthy substitute for the sister she had known all her life.

As a result the two had taken a rather unscheduled and unwanted tour of the school grounds while they searched for the room where the welcoming announcements would be made. It turned out that the site of such introductions would not be made in the headmaster's office. Or that of his deputy. Or the library. Or the locker room. Or the cafeteria. Or the CCT communications room. No, much like with many things in life, they had finally found their destination after exhausting all other options. Almost literally in their case.

Jaune had little difficulty in remembering his way to the deputy headmaster's office. After all, how could he forget the stern look that the woman behind the desk had given him and Ruby after they had both stuck their heads around the slightly ajar door to peek inside in their quest to find out where introductions were being held? Eventually he stood before the door once more, this time entirely closed. A light rapping of his knuckles on the solid wood sounded throughout the almost deserted hallway he stood in.

 _"Come in,"_ the slightly muffled voice from behind replied.

Jaune grasped a cold metal knob and turned it to gain entry. After pushing his way past he saw a familiar blonde woman seated once more behind her desk. She looked up at him past a pair of thin glasses.

"Mr. Arc," she said evenly. "Please take a seat."

She gestured to the plain wooden chair that sat on the other side of her desk. Adjusting it slightly so that his long legs would fit in front of her desk, he sat himself down and looked over the area which the woman had been working. Neat stacks of paper covered almost the entire left-hand side of the desk while a computer sat closer to the right side. A large scroll-like device rested there as well, most likely some sort of handheld tablet than the communication device which rested in his pocket.

He hadn't known what to expect the rest of the office to look like, only getting a momentary glance yesterday while searching the campus with Ruby. However he could not say that he was surprised by its rather spartan appearance.

"So, um," he said uneasily. Just sitting in this room across from a woman with such an intimidating aura had sapped all of his earlier enthusiasm from his body. "What's up?" Immediately he winced at his choice of words. From what little he had seen Glynda Goodwitch appeared to be a very stern and by the books woman.

He hadn't known if Ms. Goodwitch would take issue with the phrasing of his question. If she did she made no sign of it. "I am aware that this meeting is on rather short notice," she said evenly. "However I have only now finished with my call from Sanctum Academy regarding an inquiry of mine from a couple of days ago."

Jaune nodded. Business came first after all, and it's not like he was going anywhere anytime soon. Well, unless one counted initiation starting in a little more than an hour.

He saw as Ms. Goodwitch picked her tablet off of the desk before tapping if a few times. Eventually she turned it around so that he could see the screen. "Tell me, Mr. Arc. Do you recognize this young woman?"

The girl in question was a young beauty, probably around his age. Long, fiery red hair was bound in a ponytail to reveal a slim face decorated by sparkling green eyes that resembled precious gems. Clad in bronze and leather armor from head to toe she looked like a warrior of Valean antiquity rather than someone he might breathe the same air as.

There was a feeling in the back of his mind that told him that he had seen the girl before, but he wasn't sure. Perhaps she had been in Beacon's main hall with the rest of the prospective students earlier? It would certainly make sense with her attire. Sadly however he could not say this with any certainty.

Jaune frowned with a slight shake of his head. "No, can't say that I do."

A small sigh slipped through the deputy headmaster's lips as she nodded. "I thought as much. The young woman you see in this picture is named Pyrrha Nikos. She is the reigning four time champion of the Mistral Regional Tournament, and Sanctum Academy's star pupil. She will be attending Beacon starting this year."

His eyebrows rose in surprise. That was an impressive list of accolades. The fact that she would be attending a school in Vale rather than Mistral was quite an achievement for Beacon.

Ms. Goodwitch's eyes remained focused on his. "Curious that a student who attended Sanctum Academy with such a girl failed to recognize her."

In an instant Jaune's heart froze, and he felt as if streaks of cold lightning were shooting throughout his entire body. His transcripts said that he had attending school in Mistral. The very same school that Pyrrha Nikos did. His mind whirled as it began putting the pieces together. If the woman before him had just finished with a call from Sanctum Academy...

"Mr. Arc. I am aware of the fact that you did not attend Sanctum Academy as your records claim you did."

He felt as if all of the air had been sucked out of his lungs. His mind went blank as the whole room seemed to expand until nothing was clear or coherent anymore. It was just him, a speck of a man surrounded by a void of nothingness. Not even sounds seemed to register with him anymore, and from what he could tell it took several attempts for the woman to regain his attention.

"Mr. Arc?"

He snapped out of it, bringing up a finger and thumb to rub his eyes clear of the sudden weariness which had filled them. "Yeah?"

"You are aware that this is a serious crime, are you not?"

A crime. He never really thought of it like that. To him this had never been about doing anything illegal. It had never been for greed or power. It had been about living a dream. A dream that had been denied to him by the one who had taught him what he had learned up to this point. His father loved him enough to train him. However the man also loved him enough to try and deter him from walking down the same road that he himself had.

"I never..." he started before trailing off. Did excuses even matter at this point? He had been found out. From the stern look on her face he could tell there would be no convincing her with the sob story of living out his dream. Despite this however, he couldn't just say nothing. "I didn't do it to hurt anyone. I just wanted to be a huntsman."

The woman's own green eyes did not waver. "The intent of your actions does not concern me. If you are unqualified enough that you feel the need to forge your transcripts then you are most likely a liability in the field. The fact that you did not wish to harm anyone will not matter if someone ends up hurt or killed as a result of your lack of experience or skill."

The words struck Jaune hard. He had never thought of it like that. People would have placed trust in him. People like Ruby and Yang. What if one of them had been hurt because they trusted him to hold off a Beowolf and he failed? How would he ever live with himself?

He felt a lump building in his throat. "I just..."

She cut him off before he could utter another word. "Are you aware that your father attended Beacon Academy?"

Of course he knew. He looked up to his father just like he did with past generations of his family who fought in the conflicts which had torn Remnant apart. "Yeah."

"The submission of your transcripts so close to the deadline forced me to look over them personally," she continued. "However it is the fact that the son of a Beacon graduate having studied in Mistral that piqued my special interest. We are thorough in the background checks of all of our applicants, Mr. Arc. A simple call to Sanctum Academy to confirm what your records showed was all that it took to find a contradiction."

So in the end it was the fact that his family had a legacy in this field that had sunk his chances. The fact that the people he looked up to and inspired him had also inadvertently cost him his chance to attend Beacon was not lost on him. He may have laughed bitterly if not for the severity of his current situation.

"It was an excellent forgery, I will admit. Had I not looked over it myself it may very well have been enough. However, Mr. Arc, I must inform you now that your time at Beacon Academy is over."

That was that. The hammer had fallen. This was his fate. There was no fighting against it. What else could he do? Beg? Plead? Tell her that he would make a good huntsman if she would only give him a chance?

No. She had told him how she felt about him. That she believed he would be a liability to the others. There would be no such chance for him.

He took a deep breath. "So what happens now?"

"Your belongings have already been gathered and will be returned to you shortly. You will find Bullheads at Beacon's landing pad which will return you to Vale."

It wasn't what he had intended, but the certain absence of the expected answer gave him a sliver of hope. "I meant...you said it was a crime. Aren't you calling the police?"

Jaune considered the word crime once more. Both Ms. Goodwitch and himself had referred to his actions as one. It had sunk in now, and he had had a short time to reflect upon it. What had he expected? He had went to a known crime boss in order to get his forged transcripts. _Crime_ boss. It was in the title. There was no doubt in his mind now that what he had done was illegal, even if it had been with the best intentions. However as the woman had said earlier, those intentions did not mean a thing when it could have gotten his peers hurt, or worse.

"I am not," she answered flatly. "Consider it as a professional courtesy to your father. We prefer to keep the affairs of huntsmen and huntresses out of the public eye, and the court of public opinion. Whatever punishment a professional huntsman like your father considers appropriate for his son will be far more fitting than anything Valean authorities are capable of."

The words sent chills down his spine. He had no idea what the man would do to him. Or his mother. Or his sisters. He had put his life, and the lives of countless others on the line because of his actions. All without their knowledge or consent. Now that he thought about it, whatever the police might do would probably be tame in comparison to his parents. He almost wanted to ask Ms. Goodwitch to reconsider her decision.

He was afraid to ask his next question. "Do they know?"

"No. This is a responsibility which you must deal with yourself."

She had not contacted his parents either. Perhaps it was by design. He now had to muster the strength and courage to tell them on his own. He didn't know which was the worse punishment.

He nodded in understanding. "Alright." What more could he say?

"Your personal effects will be waiting for you outside." She brought a hand up to straighten her glasses as she continued to look at him with a neutral expression. "I wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors."

He didn't respond. Not when it sounded like he had just been fired from his job. In a sense he had been.

Jaune stood up and opened the door without another word being spoken between the two. This was it. His life was effectively over now. His dream had been crushed. The only place left to go was back home.

* * *

Evening had fallen upon Vale, and with it came the calm silence of an empty barroom. His men had left for the day a little while ago, leaving him alone with his thoughts. Moments like these had become far too familiar for his liking in recent days.

Junior stood behind the bar looking over what had once been a beautiful and vibrant dance floor. The shiny black tiles at the center had been removed entirely, the damage done to them irreparable after they had been shattered by the blonde girl with a single punch. Soon enough the materials would come in to rebuild the piece of prized real estate within his club. It was a top priority, as having a night club without a dance floor was inviting disaster. Disaster and bankruptcy.

He took in the sights all around him, thinking about how much better things looked now. All of the debris had been cleaned up. The dust had been swept away. The remaining pieces of broken furniture were resting in the alley dumpsters. All in all it just looked so empty now. It reflected how he felt inside.

Things were bad now, for more reasons than just the troubles with his club. The twins had gone out the other night on their own initiative. Melanie had told him that it had been to collect from the Blood Axe Gang, who up until that point had been on time with their monthly payments which allowed them to operate on Junior's turf. The idea that the two girls had gone to collect an early payment for the next month would have normally irritated the older man. However, their account of what had happened quickly dispelled any thoughts of anger that he might have possessed. Not only did they resist the attempt through force. They had spilled valuable information.

In the end that was what had been most precious to Junior when the twins had returned. The near two thousand lien would help him in this time of urgent need. Of that he had no doubt. However the information which Melanie had shared told him that there was a new player in town. Unknowns were dangerous. Especially in his line of work.

Pieces were starting to fall in place now. A strange, unknown girl comes into his club and trashes the place for no reason, putting several of his men out of action. The very same night Roman Torchwick had come in and hired some more of his men. The criminal's botched operation resulted in all of those men now being behind bars. The result was that Junior's operational strength had been crippled beyond any easy repair. The loss of half a dozen men in either situation would not have been insurmountable. But to lose a full dozen in the span of two days... that was bad. It was beyond bad. And he didn't think it was a coincidence either.

Who was the new player though? He very much doubted that it was Roman himself. That man was a known commodity in Vale, and there was no way he possessed the ability to operate under the radar. The man was as egotistical as he was flamboyant, and would want any and all of his crimes to be broadcast just so that he could revel in his fame. No, this went beyond Roman Torchwick. The only problem was that Junior could not think of anyone else who might fit the bill.

Junior placed a short glass on the table, filling it about halfway full with a light amber liquid. Looking down inside it for a moment he pondered deeper meaning of it. Before he could get far, however, a voice sang through the air and interrupted him from his thoughts.

"We're going out, Hei~" the familiar upbeat voice of Melanie said.

Well, at least they were happy. In the end that was the important part in all of this, wasn't it? "Looking for more trouble?"

The black and red-clad twin sidled up next to Melanie, giving her sister a soft jab with her elbow. "Don't worry. I'll keep an eye on her."

Melanie shot a betrayed look back and forth between her and Junior. "Me? Cause trouble? I'm like, hurt and stuff."

Miltia rolled her eyes but said nothing. Junior himself softly shook his head as he took a small sip from his drink.

"As if the info we gave you yesterday wasn't super important," the teal-dressed girl continued. "So what if we want to get you some more? You should be thanking us for being so charitable."

He set the glass down as he looked into the older twin's eyes. "So you mean to tell me that you're going out and busting heads out of the goodness of your heart?"

Melanie's unflinching gaze met his own. Even if he hadn't known the girl for almost a decade now he would have seen the mischief dancing in her emerald irises. "Yep," she said with unwavering confidence. If she had been speaking to anyone else it might have been convincing.

Junior let out an amused chuckle. "Alright then. You won't see me trying to stop you."

The longer-haired girl let a sly grin slip across her features. "I knew you'd see things my way. Maybe when I get back you'll have a nice little reward waiting for me."

A slight shift of his focus to the girl next to Melanie revealed the younger twin letting out a soft breath. Clearly she wasn't looking forward to whatever this night and the following morning had in store for her.

He waved them away with a shooing motion of his hand. "Fine, get out of here. Don't get in too much trouble, alright?"

The twins had began walking away, but Melanie stopped after Junior's last words. She turned around to regard him with a most unfitting innocent expression. "Why Hei, I have no idea what you mean."

He saw how Miltia was trying and failing to hide the small smirk on her own face. Even if the twins had dressed identically and styled their hair the same, there were always small tells which would give away who was who.

It was good that they had one another. Miltia kept her sister in line. Grounded down to Remnant where without her, Melanie's free spirit might have taken her too close to the sun. Close enough to get burned.

In contrast Melanie pushed her younger twin past her limits and out of her usual comfort zone. Without her, Miltia would likely not have nearly as much fun as she did following in her sister's lead, and might not experience all of what life has to offer.

Then there were the other reasons. The reasons which the three did not speak of often anymore. Ones which were the cause of bringing Junior back to the bottle more often than not.

* * *

This wasn't how it was supposed to be.

He was supposed to have gone to Beacon Academy and trained for four years to be a huntsman. He would make friends. Fight the creatures of Grimm. Become a hero. Maybe even meet a nice girl along the way. Things had started so perfectly after meeting Ruby and Yang. But now that was all over. He had nowhere to go now but home. And that was the last place he wanted to be right now.

It was strange just how much things could change in a single day. Twenty four hours ago Jaune had been exploring Beacon with Ruby. They had talked all about how they were going to be on a team together with Yang. How they were going to have fun every moment of every day, whether they were in class, in their dorm or out battling against Grimm. Everything had been going according to his plan. Everything felt right.

This did not.

After arriving at the air ship terminal Jaune had just sat there for hours. He had been in shock. Even after the fallout of his conversation with Ms. Goodwitch, it all just seemed so surreal. He wasn't going to attend Beacon after all. So where was he going to go? He hadn't a clue. Certainly not home. How could he? How would he ever be able to face them and tell them what he did? How would he be able to tell them that he had not only lied, but lied to put his life in danger when his father knew that his skills were not what they should be to attend a combat school?

Everything just felt so empty and meaningless right now. He had even turned his scroll off for the slight chance that someone might call or message him on it. Right now he didn't feel like speaking to anyone. So he walked. He wandered around Vale trying to think of a solution to the problem he had gotten himself in.

The angry, irrational and strangely violent part of himself almost wanted some petty mugger to approach and confront him. While he may not have been on Ruby's level, he was fully capable of handling himself in a fight against their brand of scum. He had proven as much on the night he had fought alongside the girl in the dust shop robbery. Being faced with a lowlife right now would give him an excuse to vent his frustrations. Even though he had brought all of it onto himself.

In the end he decided to head back to the hotel where he had stayed at upon first arriving in Vale. He still had a little more than three hundred lien left, the amount he had put aside for his fake transcripts. He was fortunate that Junior had sent him on a mission instead of taking the lien, otherwise he would have been entirely out of options. At least a couple of nights in the hotel would give him time to think about what he should do. It might be enough time to come up with a plausible excuse as to why he was coming home early from his supposed school for the arts. Maybe his family did not need to know about what happened at Beacon.

The weight of it all felt heavy on his shoulders, and it was more than just having to carry all of his luggage from the terminal back to the hotel as he had once before. With Crocea Mors at his hip, his guitar case strapped across his back, and his suitcase in one hand, that would have normally been more than enough for him to handle. Everything felt ten times as heavy now, however. It was taking all that he had within him to keep going.

Jaune's head turned as he passed by a familiar building. One which he had visited on two different occasions now. One where his new life was supposed to have begun.

Junior's club looked as unremarkable as ever in the dim light of the setting sun. On the inside he knew that it was a different world entirely, or at least it once might have been. Someday soon it might return to its former glory. He would not be around to see that, however. He would be a long way from here back at his family's home. Hopefully he would not be under some sort of house arrest if he did wind up telling his parents the truth.

He shook his head in sad regret, but when he was about to look away saw the front doors open up to reveal a pair of figures stepping through them.

Two pairs of light green eyes met his, and he froze on the spot a moment later.

The twins he had met on two separate occasions seemed to have the same recognition that he did, and after momentarily stopping themselves focused their attention entirely on him before making their way over to him.

The longer-haired one, Melanie, if he remembered correctly had taken the lead. It was she who spoke to him first. "Well well," she said with soft surprise. "You're the last person I expected to see here tonight."

He couldn't help but stare as the two girls approached him. The red and black striped thigh-high stockings Miltia wore led up to what most schools would consider to be an illegally short black skirt and a tight black shirt. For the first time today Jaune was happy he was not in a school. And while Melanie's black and teal dress left more of her legs to the imagination, it did have the added benefit of revealing silky smooth, cream-colored legs that only a naturally pale beauty like her could pull off.

Jaune shook the thoughts from his mind. _No! Bad Jaune!_ , he internally chastised.

It appeared that he had stared for too long if the growing smirk on Melanie's face was anything to go off of. "See something you like?" she asked teasingly. "Told you I was a distraction."

His attention was drawn to Miltia when she snorted softly before rolling her eyes.

With eyes averted and now focused on the sidewalk below, Jaune could only mutter a soft apology. "Sorry," he said.

"Don't be, she likes the attention," Miltia said.

"As if you don't either," Melanie replied. "Most girls don't wear skirts two sizes too small for them because they're comfortable."

"Whatever."

Melanie giggled, turning her focus once more on Jaune. "Sorry. Miltia's the dumb one..."

The words instantly perked up the shorter-haired girl, who looked at her twin with narrowed eyes. "As if, Melanie," Miltia said as she swatted her sister with the back of her hand. "We both know that _you're_ the dumb one."

"Um, no?" the other countered. "I think you're like, mistaken there, Miltia."

"I don't think I am, Melanie."

"Whatever, Miltia."

"Whatever, Melanie."

"Miltia."

"Melanie."

" _Miltia!_ "

" _Melanie!_ "

"Um, girls?" Jaune managed to squeak out softly

"What!" both girls roared simultaneously.

Jaune didn't know what he had just gotten himself into, and a large part of him did not want to find out. If this sibling argument was anything like any of his sisters it could get out of control very quickly. The difference was that his sisters were not armed with cruelly sharp blades on their heels and wrist-mounted claws.

The fact that both Melanie and Miltia were both armed suddenly dawned on him. They also had him alone in a bad part of Vale at dusk. With all of his belongings on him he was indeed a prime target to be robbed. Only now rather than some random street thug being the perpetrator, there were two armed and dangerous fighters standing close enough to slice into him with their blades. Unconsciously he took a step backwards.

It was all that they needed to ignore their own argument and focus on him once more.

"Leaving so soon?" Melanie cooed. "We only just ran into each other. I wanted you to tell us all about your little experiences in Beacon."

"Yeah," Miltia agreed. "Why _are_ you here anyway?"

Did they honestly care? Or was it simple curiosity? Jaune didn't know. However there was no harm in telling them. It's not like they didn't know the whole story up to this point anyway.

"Beacon didn't work out," he said simply.

He caught a glint of light in the eyes of Melanie as her head tilted slightly. "Oh?"

Jaune shrugged. "Yeah. I'm heading back to my hotel now."

"Ah ah!" Melanie said as one of her hands latched on to his free wrist. She had been so fast that he could not have stopped her even if he had not been burdened by his luggage. "Tell us all about it over drinks."

The lack of a free hand stopped Jaune from rubbing the back of his neck nervously. He could only shrug before he spoke. "I... I don't really have that kind of lien right now. I need everything I have left for my hotel."

"Psssh!" the girl said with a flick of her wrist. "It's on the house. One of the perks of being us."

"Yeah, totally..." Miltia said sarcastically.

This time it was Melanie who rolled her eyes as she dismissed her sister's comment. "Whatever. Ignore her. Come with us, take a break, and drink. You look exhausted."

He felt exhausted too. Not just physically either, but emotionally as well. It was an exhausting thing to have one's dreams crash down on top of them. If nothing else he could just sit down and have a glass of water. That along with simply getting off his feet right now sounded like a decent enough idea.

In the end he gave in to her idea. Something inside of him told him that even had he refused that he would not be given much of a choice. "Alright. Sure."

Melanie flashed him a sweet, innocent smile as she dragged him back to the door from where she and Miltia had come. The other girl followed along on his other side, as if the twins were escorting a condemned prisoner down the jailhouse hallway to his execution. If he died tonight he wouldn't need to face his parents. That was a plus. Jaune shook his head at the idea. He knew he was being overly dramatic, however. He knew these girls... sort of. Murder probably wasn't on the top of their list of favorite activities. And if all they wanted was to share a few drinks with him while he talked about Beacon, where was the harm in that?

* * *

This had been most unexpected.

Miltia stepped through the last set of doors which led into the huge open room of the first floor of Junior's club. It would seem that Melanie's plans had been altered, if not cancelled. While she hadn't exactly been looking forward to it the same way that her sister had, it was at least something that was planned out... to an extent. She knew what she was getting into when she went out with Melanie. This on the other hand, she didn't know what the final outcome would be.

The boy looked dejected enough that he could use a drink. Maybe it would all turn out for the best.

"Oh Hei~" Melanie said, announcing her presence once more. "We have a visitor~"

The man behind the bar turned to see the three of them approaching. If there was any surprise by what he saw he hid it well. He merely locked eyes onto the three teens as they approached, one hand resting on the counter with the other holding onto the glass which was nearly empty now.

After downing the rest of its contents he spoke. "I didn't expect to see you back here, kid," he said nodding to Jaune. "Shouldn't you be over at Beacon saving the world and all that crap?"

Melanie ushered Jaune onto one of the stools at the bar, taking the seat on his right. Miltia moved over to take the one on his left. She and her sister did so unconsciously at this point. Isolating and surrounding their target was a tried and tested strategy for the twins. The only difference this time was that they intended him no harm.

Before Jaune could answer it was Melanie who spoke. "Three shots of whiskey, Hei," she said with a dazzling white smile on her face. It faded however as the man behind the bar shot a stern glare in her direction. Melanie sighed and rolled her eyes. "Fine. I mean _Junior_."

Miltia knew why he had reacted the way he did. Very few people in the world knew Junior's true name. To an outsider like Jaune, saying the man's first name so casually like that could lead to unwanted problems. Miltia did not feel that it would be the case, however. From what had seen Jaune was a decent enough person, outside of the fact that he had intended to falsify his way into Beacon Academy. The fact that she still did not know the whole story, and that it was Melanie who interrupted Junior's question, was not lost on her.

"So?" Miltia said, adding onto Junior's question. "Why aren't you at Beacon?"

Jaune's gaze turned to look down at the bar counter. He sat in silence for a few moments before finally speaking. "They found out I was a fraud," he said gloomily.

Three shot glasses slid across the bar to rest in front of each of the three teens. Melanie took hers with glee and poured the colored drink down her throat. Miltia toyed with hers with a pair of fingers. Jaune had not even shown the slightest of interest in his.

"And how'd they do that?" Junior asked. "My work was flawless."

The blonde boy laughed bitterly. Miltia could detect no hint of humor in it. "I think that was the problem," he explained. "They were too good. They believed I really did go to Sanctum. They thought it was weird that the son of a Beacon graduate would have gone there, and so asked about me."

Miltia heard a breath slip from Junior's throat. Looking up at him she saw that a small frown had formed on his face. "Well shit," he said. "If I had known that I would have come up with something else for you."

Jaune shrugged. "Yeah. Thanks anyway."

There was no malice or sarcasm in Jaune's words there. Only defeat.

"Aw it's alright," Melanie said comfortingly. Miltia on the other hand knew better. "Even if things didn't work out there, there's no reason you can't have a little fun with us tonight." She eyed the drink which still sat in front of him. "You said you would drink with us and you haven't even touched it."

Jaune's eyes followed her own to rest on the small glass in front of him. "Yeah. I know, but this isn't really my kind of scene."

"Oh, I get it," the elder twin said with sudden recognition. "It's the taste. That's how it is for most newbies. _Junior_ ," she said teasingly. "Can you make him some girly, fruity drink that he might like? Oh oh, maybe something with a little pineapple slice on the edge of the glass?"

"I don't need a girly drink," Jaune said defensively. As if to emphasize the point he picked up his whiskey and tilted it back against his lips, swallowing a second later. The quivering motions his arms and torso made betrayed him instantly.

"You sure about that, big guy?"

He didn't respond with words this time. He could only growl underneath his breath as he continued to stare down at the bar.

Melanie began to laugh at his expense. "Maybe a nice warm glass of milk would be more your _scene_."

Junior had placed the bottle on the counter top, and Melanie was quick to refill both hers and Jaune's glasses. Apparently the older man knew that this was going to be a long night and was not interested in playing the bartender role for the three of them.

"So tell us about yourself," she continued. "What's some little thing like you doing trying to be the big strong hero?"

Miltia noticed how Jaune's hand had moved to the glass, and much like she did, began batting it lightly back and forth with his fingers. "My dad is a huntsman," he said. "It's all I've ever wanted to be since I was young."

A small surge of disgust filled her momentarily, and she was sure that Melanie had felt the same sensation. Both girls hid their reactions physically and verbally.

"Okay, so you wanted to be like him. That's cool," Melanie said. Only Miltia and Junior knew that it was a blatant lie. "Got any brothers or sisters? Or are you the only child?"

The spinning of the glass seemed to increase in his fingers now as he spoke. "Seven sisters, actually," he said casually.

That earned Miltia's first attention, and she put the glass down just as she was about to empty its contents. Had she been a second too quick she might have just sprayed it on the bar. "Seven sisters?" she asked incredulously. "Are your parents rabbit faunus or something?"

"Wow, Miltia. Racist much?" Melanie teased.

Miltia was just about to sputter out a denial over the outrageous claim when she caught a fortuitous glance of Jaune's hoodie. The sight only emboldened her further. "Look!" she pointed accusingly as if she were a prospector who had just discovered a new deposit of dust. "He even has a cute little bunny head on his hoodie!"

Jaune looked down at the bunny in question before looking back up to her. "What? Pumpkin Pete?"

"Like, the cereal?" Melanie asked.

Miltia shook her head. "I'm calling it right now. Rabbit faunus."

"They aren't rabbit faunus," Jaune argued.

"Then how!"

"Do you really think that I wonder about how and why my parents wound up with so many kids? That I'd even want to know?"

Miltia's lips curled into a frown. Now that she thought about it, she was basically asking the teenage boy about why his parents had so much sex. Even if he _did_ have some sort of explanation, it probably was not something that he wanted to think about.

"Whatever," she replied. She took the opportunity to finally finish off her first shot before Melanie slid the bottle her way for a refill.

"I think this is where I step out," Junior said as he lifted the bar door and stepped out from behind it. "I'm sure this is going to turn out to be a lovely conversation, but I'm not going to stick around to hear it." His eyes glanced over the three of them, but focused on Melanie in particular. "You girls play nice, got it?"

The man's primary target waved politely at him as he stalked away. "Will do, Junior!" she said with sickeningly sweet enthusiasm. She turned back to Jaune a moment later, a predatory gleam in her eyes as she licked her lips. "So seven sisters and you're the only boy. Must have been hard growing up."

He shrugged. "I guess. Older sisters can be a little difficult."

"I can relate," Miltia said under her breath.

Melanie scoffed at the comment but otherwise continued. "Well I meant more like, did your dad want you to follow in his footsteps? To be a little huntsman like he was too?"

She saw how Jaune's shoulders slumped a little bit with the question. "No," he said softly. "He didn't."

The answer surprised Miltia, but the way he had said it did more. There was something deeper behind his words, and she knew that Melanie was eager to learn the truth.

"Oh really? Why's that?"

"I don't know. I guess he just thought it was too dangerous. Or that he didn't think I was good enough." He looked down at the glass in his hand and began to tap the rim of the glass. "That's why I had to get the fake transcripts. And we know how that worked out."

"That sucks. Must feel like shit not getting to do what you always wanted after being so close."

"Yeah..." he agreed. "It does."

Miltia saw how one of Melanie's fingers was tracing circles around on the counter top. With her other hand she toyed with her hair, twirling it around a finger until she had reached up to the white flower which adorned her raven tresses. She was enjoying herself at the moment. As was expected when she invited Jaune in for drinks.

Her elder sister continued down her chosen path with another question. "Nothing else you ever wanted to be then?"

A labored breath slipped through the boys lips. "No. Not really."

A small part of Miltia felt sorry for him despite of what she thought about the huntsman profession. It didn't matter that his dream would have put him at odds with them, in more ways than just the obvious. The fact was that his dream was crushed and he was appropriately devastated.

Melanie hummed thoughtfully at him. "Well that's a shame. What are you going to do now?"

He looked down to the glass. "I don't know."

In the end he wound up gripping the glass tightly in his fingers before raising it up and drinking it all. It would have looked like a stereotypical solemn scene from a movie had he not blanched right after finishing the drink.

The moment he set it down it was refilled by Melanie. He looked her way once more, and the girl smiled innocently at him. "It's on the house, remember?"

"Yeah, but I think I'm done for the night. I'm not much of a drinker. At all, really."

An amused smile crossed her lips. "Tell ya what," she said before she emptied her own glass. "I'll have a drink for every one you have so that things don't get out of control. Once I hit my limit you're free to stop. Sound good?"

Miltia knew one of her sisters traps when she heard it, and this was most certainly one of them. The petite and unassuming girl looked innocent enough. Melanie stood around 5'6", perhaps an inch or two taller than herself. With not a lot of meat on her dancer-like frame most would assume she could not handle her alcohol. Little did Jaune realize that she would most likely be only mildly buzzed by the time he was passed out on the bar.

"I don't know," he frowned. "I don't think-"

He was cut off when Melanie pressed a finger to his lips. "Shhh," she said softly. "I can tell how sad you are about not making it into Beacon. It's okay. Drinking will make all the pain go away for tonight. And every other night after if that's what you want."

"Melanie..." Miltia warned in a low tone.

Her sister's eyes slipped past the boy in the middle to focus on her own. "He's a big boy, Miltia. He can just say no if he wants to." Her eyes settled back on him once more. "So what's it going to be? My little _huntsman_."

Miltia recognized the nickname for what it is. A taunt. A reminder to Jaune of what he wasn't able to achieve. A reason for him to give into his sorrow and take Melanie up on her offer. A reason to hand over power to the girl who sat to his right.

In the end Jaune relented, and downed his third shot with the usual response afterward. Melanie kept to her word and mimicked him a moment later before refilling both glasses once more. To her this was like playing in the shallow part of the pool. For Jaune she might as well have been throwing him headfirst into the deep end.

"So about your sisters," she said, reigniting the earlier conversation. "What was that like? Any embarrassing stories?"

Jaune breathed out a soft laugh at the question. "A few."

"Oh? Like what?"

The small tinge of red which flushed on his cheeks seemed to indicate embarrassment. That, or perhaps he was coming under the influence of his alcohol a little quicker than expected. "I needed my own tent when my family went camping. They liked to braid my hair sometimes. Whether I was awake or not."

Melanie laughed at the story, and Miltia herself softly giggled at the image of the blonde boy's longish hair in pigtails. Or perhaps even more complex styles when he was asleep.

"It wasn't that funny," Jaune said in his defense. "The worst was when they used me as a test subject for makeup." He stopped before he looked down at the counter and shut his eyes. "Ah crap I can't believe I said that."

Perhaps the red in his face was indeed a mixture of both if he was beginning to lose control of his inhibitions. Miltia shot a look over to Melanie, and saw that her sister merely had an amused smirk on her own face.

For the next several minutes Melanie continued to prod and poke at Jaune for more stories like those. Things from his childhood. Things about his family, and more specifically what his sisters would do with him. The information poured from him like water from a tap. Being coerced into playing with dolls. Dressed up as a girl. The list went on and on, and Melanie laughed at each story as Jaune told it. She seemed to be having a good enough time at his expense, and Miltia would be lying if she said she wasn't amused as well. However she hid her emotions a little better than Melanie did.

"Sucks to be the only boy in the family," the girl in teal said amusedly. "Now I'm jealous I didn't have my own little brother to play with. Miltia is such a buzzkill sometimes."

Miltia felt a surge of frustration rise inside her at the quip. "Please, Melanie," she bit back. "You'd be dead ten times over if it wasn't for me."

"And how many times have I saved you in a fight?"

"I'm not even talking about fighting! And the only reason we even get into those fights is totally because of _you_!"

"So you're saying I'm the fun one," Melanie smiled. She looked back over at Jaune, who's head was swiveling back and forth to try and keep up with the twin's conversation. "Keep that in mind, boy toy. I'm the fun one around here."

"You're an idiot," Miltia said flatly.

"Whatever," she said with a wave. Green eyes roamed the room before they settled on the items which Jaune had been carrying with him out on the street. "Is that yours?" she asked, pointing down to the guitar case at the feet of the stool.

Jaune looked down at it momentarily before he began nodding. "Yeah."

"Why do you have it?" Miltia asked. "Doesn't seem like the kind of thing you'd need at a combat school."

He turned away from Melanie to face her, and judging from her sister's reaction she did not appreciate his attention being taken off of her. "I had told my parents I got accepted into an art school as a cover," he explained. "They had no idea I was going off to Beacon." He shook his head before he grasped his glass again. "Or tried to at least. I can't go back home now. Not when they think I'm at some art s-school for my guitar..."

So he had lied to his parents in addition to forging transcripts? At first Miltia had thought he was nothing but another child who wanted to be the hero. The type that Junior had told her and Melanie about back when he had attended Haven. However maybe there was more to the blonde boy than met the eye. Heroes didn't usually lie to get to where they were. Especially not to their own family.

"So you play?"

He shrugged. "A little. I'm decent enough I guess."

"Oh fun!" Melanie said as she placed a hand on his shoulder and spun him around in his stool to face her again. "Play something for me?"

Miltia couldn't see his face anymore, but his delayed response and the shaky tone in his voice was beginning to betray his current state. "I don't know. I don't th-think I can do it too good right now."

"But you brought it with you to Beacon. You were probably going to sing to all the pretty girls there, weren't you?"

He didn't answer. He looked down at the bar once more, sadness still in his eyes.

"Aw, come on," her sister pouted. "Serenade me, little huntsman. Sing to me like one of your Beacon girls. Dance monkey, dance."

And there was the crux of why Melanie had invited Jaune in to begin with. A shame the boy was probably too far gone by now to recognize it. He was innocent, naive and oh so very corruptible. Melanie saw it as well, and was more than willing to use these facts to have a good time at his expense. Nothing harmful or having a lasting damaging effect. However Miltia knew how much her twin enjoyed having her way with others. She knew how much the girl liked the feeling of being powerful and in control.

Miltia had seen this scene play out far too many times before. Despite the flirtatious undertones there was no romantic intent here on the part of her sister. Nor was there malice behind her words and actions. No, Melanie sought only to screw with someone for her own amusement. Jaune was just unlucky enough, or lucky, depending on one's point of view, to be the target of her attention on this night.

"S-sorry," he slurred. "I can't."

Melanie shrugged off the excuse with a smile. "That's okay. Maybe another time."

"Yeah," he agreed as he picked up his glass. "Maybe another time."

He downed the drink, and this time his usual reaction was muted in comparison to what they had seen before. Miltia very much doubted that he was used to the taste right now. Perhaps it was just a result of his senses being dulled to the point where the alcohol didn't bother him like it usually did.

His arms were folded on the counter now, his chin resting on them like a makeshift pillow. "I can't believe it t-turned out like this," he mumbled. "I was supposed to be a huntsman. Why couldn't they just let me try?"

A look over his head towards her sister showed that the smile had slipped from her face. Perhaps even she was now having a difficult time reveling in the sorrow of another.

"I wasn't going to let anyone else get hurt..."

With her sister seemingly lost for words for once in her life it was Miltia who decided to answer him. "I dunno," she answered, not bothering to offer an explanation. "I'm sure you'll figure something out though."

His head shook softly in his arms. "Can't go home," came the muffled reply.

Silence settled over the room for the first time since coming back inside the club. The normally loud and obnoxious Melanie had gone quiet, seemingly satisfied that she had accomplished her mission of getting the boy drunk and poking fun at him. Miltia looked over to him and noticed that his breathing had taken on a steady rhythm. His head had not moved since uttering his last sentence.

Melanie reached over and placed a hand on his hair. When he did not stir she lifted his head up by it off of the bar. "Wow, he's out. What a shame."

Miltia looked on with a neutral expression. He was indeed out cold. It looked like he would not be heading out to his hotel on this night. If there was one benefit she would argue that he got from this little experience it was that he would have an extra day's worth of lien to plan on his future. She very much doubted that this had been her sister's intentions.

"But it was fun," the girl continued as she stood up. She let go of his head as she did so, and Miltia winced as Jaune's head unceremoniously impacted back onto his arms. "We should totally do this again tomorrow night."

"Are you trying to give him alcohol poisoning?" Miltia asked as she too got to her feet.

"Pssh, he just needs to build up his tolerance," her twin said dismissively. "I bet even you could out drink him."

Miltia's eyes narrowed at the intended slight. "Shut up. Of course I could," she said defensively. Melanie raised an eyebrow at her mockingly. "I could! Just because I'm not an alcoholic like you doesn't mean I can't handle my liquor."

Melanie waved off the insult as she walked. "Hey, I'm not an alcoholic. I'm a connoisseur. There's a difference."

"I bet you don't even know what that word means."

"Bitch I don't need to be able to quote a dictionary to use a word."

"Whatever," Miltia said, not quite believing her sister's excuse.

"Whatever to you," Melanie echoed.

Neither said another word until they had reached the staircase doors. Melanie stopped suddenly, her eyes bright with happiness... or mischief. Even she had a hard time telling the looks apart at times.

"Melanie?" she questioned.

"Hey, Miltia..." she started. A short pause followed after as she continued to look her sister in the eyes. "There's this new look I've been thinking of trying out... wanna help me with it?"

The younger twin had no idea what she was talking about. However now that she got a good look into those emerald orbs, Miltia knew that she could not say no to whatever was coming next.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Poor Jaune. You have no idea what you're getting yourself into with these girls.

Questions, comments and concerns? Let me know and I'll do my best to address them. Leave a review, tell me what you think. Every little bit helps. This ship is in uncharted waters, after all.

Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed it.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note:** Well it seems that I've found the perfect level of shit to put Jaune through if the reactions to last chapter are anything to go by. It seems like a good amount of people enjoyed the twins getting him drunk and teasing him. I'll keep that in mind for the future.

As always my thanks go out to everyone for their interest in the story. Your support and comments are always appreciated.

I hope you enjoy the new chapter.

* * *

Heavy eyes cracked open to the feeling of pain. His entire world was pain. Other than the immensely loud roaring in his ears, it was the only sensation that his mind was registering at the moment.

Jaune lifted his head, the unwelcome stiffness in his neck just another example of the soreness which seemed to permeate his entire being. It took a few moments to realize where he was. The dark brown wood of a bar counter was in front of him, and his arms which still rested on it had formed a makeshift pillow for his throbbing skull.

Memories of the past night flooded back into the forefront of his mind. Meeting the twins. Coming inside for a drink. Feeling the immense sorrow that came from talking to them about his failure to attend Beacon Academy. The promise of being able to drown out the pain with the sweet embrace of alcohol.

What a lie that had turned out to be. He felt like utter garbage at the moment. His body ached, his mind was hazy, and his mouth tasted awful. All of this was being further complicated by the loud sounds of power tools being used, seemingly all around him.

He realized there was a light weight on his back and shoulders. Reaching up to touch it he expected to find the familiar fabric of his hoodie, but soon realized that it was a blanket which had been draped over him. He went to remove it, but even this task seemed monumental to accomplish, and it took a good fifteen seconds to pry the covering off of him and place it on the stool to his left.

As Jaune looked around he saw a few men in familiar black suits working in various parts of the club in an attempt to restore it. The noise of perhaps three or four of the tools was amplified to sound like a hundred in his current state, and Jaune winced as he brought a hand up to rest on his forehead. He tried to stand up and quickly found himself using his other hand to brace himself on the bar that had only minutes earlier been his bed.

The pain in his body seemed to subside briefly before it regrouped and concentrated solely on his stomach. It was a feeling not entirely unfamiliar, and had only a couple days prior experienced in his latest bout of motion sickness aboard the airship. The very same airship which was taking him to Beacon.

It seemed that this last thought was the final straw, and Jaune quickly lost control of his body once more as a stream of vomit shot from him onto the filthy tile floor.

If he had felt bad before, he felt utterly terrible now. The bad aftertaste in his mouth was replaced with an even worse one, and his throat and nose burned in reaction to the sickness which had shot through them. However it turned out that his torture was not quite over yet.

"Hey!" one of the black-clad men shouted, turning off his tool before he stomped over to stand close to Jaune. "What the fuck are you doing? You're cleaning that mess up!"

Jaune turned, eyes briefly landing on the man before averting to the floor, unable to meet the angry gaze directed his way. "I'm sorry," he offered simply.

No more words were spoken for several long seconds, and only the torturous sound of power tools rattled the young blonde's eardrums. When he looked back up expectantly at the older man he saw what he would have considered to be the last expression he would have expected. Where there had once been an irate and justifiably annoyed face staring back at him, Jaune saw that the man's skin had gone pale. Eyes which may have normally been concealed behind red sunglasses now stared at him in disbelief, and if Jaune was correct, maybe even fear.

"Just forget it," the man said, the anger in his voice having evaporated. "Go get yourself cleaned up. I'll take care of this."

Jaune didn't know what to make of the sudden change of heart, but was grateful nonetheless. "Thank you. I'm really sorry."

The man shook off the apology before pointing off toward one end of the club. "It's fine. Bathroom's that way."

Jaune nodded and smiled genuinely before heading off.

On his way he passed by a handful of other similarly dressed men, all wearing the normal garb of Junior's lackeys. He wondered if any of them were from the night he and Ruby had stopped the dust robbery. He wondered if any of them would recognize him. Could that be why that one man had reacted the way he had upon seeing Jaune's face?

Were they too scared to rat him out? Too ashamed of being defeated by teenagers? If Junior knew that he had done more than merely observe the fight then Jaune might be blamed for the botched robbery. However the fact that he had not been awoken by a hard punch to the face told him that they had not told Junior about his involvement in the dust shop robbery.

As he thought about that possibility Jaune was greeted by similar reactions with every new person he passed by. At first there would be an annoyed glance shot his way, but perhaps a second later those glances would turn to looks of worry and fear. These must have been the men from that night, recognizing him for the badass warrior that he was. Even if it was Ruby who had taken most of them out, he had been there alongside her. It all made sense.

Jaune passed them by without incident however. Perhaps they were indeed too scared to challenge him. In a way that made him feel good. Powerful. Respected.

Something he could have indeed become at Beacon Academy.

He pushed open the washroom door with a heavy sigh, thinking about his lost opportunity with regret. Truthfully there was little else he could have done to avoid the consequences of his actions. He had no idea that his family's legacy would come back to bite him at the most inopportune time possible.

For now however he simply needed to wash up and get the vile, acidic taste of vomit out of his mouth. He reached the sinks soon after stepping inside, and looked up to get a first glance at his appearance this morning. What he saw shocked him.

The very first thought which entered his mind was that he was still drunk and simply seeing things. Or perhaps that the circus was in town and he was staring into the eyes of a clown on the other side of a window. However he instantly knew that he was not so lucky, and that the messy, colorful face which stared back at him was his own.

His lips stood out the most with a ruby-red shade of lipstick smeared onto them as if he had done so himself without the aid of a mirror. The green eye shadow which decorated him was a familiar shade, which the mascara made his lashes pop out with volume and length that would have made any of his sisters jealous. Combined with numerous locks of his shaggy blonde hair done up in crude braids of various styles made him look like a toddler's first attempt at dressing up a new doll they had been bought.

These attempts at fashion were not the worst of it, however. He could have dealt with a little bit of makeup on his face. After all, he had been an unwilling test subject for his older sisters on more than one occasion growing up in the Arc household. No, it was the accompanying little bits of extra attention onto his face which stood out most.

Even in the mirror Jaune could make out the words which were written on his cheeks. On one cheek the words "pretty little princess" were messily drawn, while on the other "property of MM". The way the words were slightly smeared, and with how easily they came off with a little bit of water told him that it was probably done in eyeliner.

Another sigh slipped through his lips as he turned on the sink and began to rinse and scrub the offending cosmetics from his face with both hands. Things suddenly made a lot more sense. The men in Junior's club were indeed afraid of him, but not for the reasons he had originally thought. His appearance this morning made him look like a crazy person. Either that, or they feared upsetting the girls who had drank with him the previous night. Jaune did not know if the M's on his face represented the initials of one of the girls or represented the first names of both of them. However if the henchmen believed him to be their property then they were right to not want to harm him. The wrath of both of the girls would be the last thing that they wanted directed at them.

Ugh. What a pain. Both literally and figuratively. His body ached, his head hurt, and this whole mess stank. It wasn't just the smell of alcohol and vomit either. Getting drunk and passing out at a shady nightclub was just adding on to the list of recent misfortunes in his life. All in all it was way too early to be dealing with all of this.

Speaking of which, Jaune decided to see just what time it was. He pulled out his scroll and turned it back on.

When he did so he saw that it was a few minutes before noon. Just how long had he been out?

There was something else too. He saw that he had unread messages. A lot of them. Fingering the icon he opened up the list, and saw that they had all come from a single person. His heart sank at the sight of her name.

"Ruby..." he whispered. He wanted to punch the mirror like he had seen so many times in the dramatic scenes of movies. However the last thing he wanted to do right now was cause any more damage to this place after the... "kindness" that its people had shown him. The washroom was unscathed, after all. There was no need to force them into repairing it as well.

A new, yet familiar form of pain formed within him. Heartache. A reminder of his failure. A reminder of his lost hopes and dreams.

Jaune scrolled up to the beginning to read through his friend's messages.

 _Everything okay, Jaune?_

No. Things weren't okay.

 _They're calling everyone to the cliffs. Are you still with Ms. Goodwitch?_

 _I'll look for you in the forest! Good luck!_

 _I didn't see you out there. Are you okay? Please answer!_

 _Jaune what team are you on? I didn't see you at the ceremony! Where are you?_

Jaune squeezed his eyes closed as he leaned on the sink with one hand. The other clutched his scroll so tight that he thought for a moment that it might break. No. If he was that strong then he would not have needed to forge his transcripts. If he was stronger his father would have believed in his abilities. If he was stronger none of this would be happening.

His mind wandered back to the previous night. He wanted a drink. He _needed_ a drink. Melanie said it would make all the pain go away. She had been right, in a way. He hadn't been hurting while he was passed out.

However the very thought of having another drink made him queasy. The vague aftertaste of vomit still clung to his mouth and he had no wish to bring it back in full force. Depression or not, the last thing he needed right now was another of the girl's healing drinks.

Instead he brought up the digital keypad on his scroll and began typing a message back to Ruby. What could he say? What did she already know, if anything? It was probably best to leave it vague and see how things went from there.

 _There was a problem with my transcripts. I won't be going to Beacon this year. Sorry._

There. Just vague enough to be open to interpretation. And not a lie either. Every word of it was true.

There was no point in telling her the whole truth. After all, she was now on her own team with new friends. Soon enough she would be going on all kinds of adventures and forget all about the boy she met in Vale that one time. There was no reason to corrupt her memory of him with the truth about his deceit.

Satisfied that he had cleaned himself up the best he could, and no longer fighting the urge to vomit once more, Jaune exited the washroom and headed back to the bar area of the club. His personal belongings still rested there on the floor next to the stool he had slept on over the night. All that was left now was to gather his belongings and head out. He still had no idea what he was going to do with his life in the next few days.

On his way there he noticed that the henchmen who had all looked upon him only minutes ago averted their eyes this time. They knew who he was now. Or rather who he supposedly belonged to, despite it being the furthest thing from the truth. However he was not going to let that stop them from believing it. If it meant keeping a group of potentially dangerous men from hassling him then he was all for it.

As he approached the bar he saw that Junior now occupied a familiar spot behind it. He wasn't drinking himself, and he wasn't serving drinks either. He merely stood there, looking down at his scroll laid flat on the table.

He looked up at the sound of Jaune's approach. "You look like crap, kid."

* * *

Everything was right in the world once more. Or at the very least, it was getting there.

Melanie strutted down the sidewalk in downtown Vale, a tall bag in one hand that was so large that it almost touched the ground despite holding it up nearly shoulder high. Despite her high heeled boots she still lacked the height to be able to carry the precious cargo around with the ease that she deserved.

If only she had been able to wake her new favorite toy up this morning. He would have made an excellent pack animal to carry her and Miltia's bags. Unfortunately he had not been easily stirred when they had set out earlier. She would never openly admit that this had been entirely her fault to begin with.

The bag in question contained her favorite white-teal dress, now fully repaired and in pristine condition. Miltia carried her own blood-red dress in her bag, which by the looks of it she was having an equally annoying time in carrying. It wasn't that the bags were heavy or even cumbersome. The fact that neither girl wished to fold the paper bag, nor the black zippered garment bag, was the issue. It simply would not do to cause any unsightly creases in their freshly tailored dresses.

As for the other reason that today was such a good day, well, she was walking right beside her. Actually a little ahead of her at this point. Her sister's short legs were moving quickly, the click-clack of her heels on the pavement all but putting her annoyance on display for the entire world to witness. The visual projection of that emotion made Melanie grin as she worked to catch up to her twin before matching her pace.

"So..." she said, shooting a sideways glance at her sister who seemed more content to admire the city's architecture than look at the girl addressing her. "You still mad?"

Miltia's shoulders stiffened immediately, but she did not bother to look back at her sister when she answered. "I'm not _mad_ , Melanie," she retorted sharply.

She was totally mad.

Melanie feigned innocence in her next statement. "That's good, because all I asked was about the whole blanket thing."

"There's nothing to say about the blanket thing. And you did a lot more than just ask."

She was guilty there. Melanie may have made some less than subtle implications. There may have been other questions. She may have goaded her sister on and on about something which she knew was not true.

Faux innocence turned to hurt as Melanie dramatically placed a hand over her heart. "I'm only like, trying to look out for your happiness. And if you're into this guy-"

"I'm _not. Into. Him,_ " Miltia said deliberately.

Melanie turned away to hide a knowing smirk. It took a few seconds for the girl to regain her composure so that the amusement in her voice would not betray her words.

Emerald eyes flicked back over to the girl whose pace had once more picked up. Melanie worked again to match her twin's speed. "So you just went downstairs with a blanket and put it over his shoulders out of the goodness of your heart then?"

"No," Miltia answered. "I did it to pay him back for what he did for me."

"Is this really all because he bandaged your hand up that one time?"

"Maybe? So what if it is? There's nothing wrong with being nice to someone who was nice to me."

Melanie gasped dramatically for effect. "Oh my gods! Should we go stop off at the pharmacy and buy you some birth control?"

"Seriously, would you please shut the fuck up? It isn't like that at all."

She knew that was true. However that would not stop her from having her fun. "Normally you only get this upset over me. But now you're letting some boy get you so worked up?"

" _You're_ still the one upsetting me, idiot," Miltia countered.

"Wow, bitchy much today? Are you on your period or something?"

"No. As if you wouldn't know even if I was."

Melanie shrugged, mentally conceding the point. "Whatever."

A moment of silence between the sisters turned to two. Then several. After several tension-filled seconds it was Miltia who finally spoke once more. "There's nothing wrong with having compassion for someone. Maybe you should learn about it sometime."

A small part of Melanie's stomach twisted inside her at those words. Compassion? For what? If anything that Jaune guy got lucky. He would be spared walking down a thankless and ultimately pointless path. To be a huntsman was to be nothing more than a dog of the state. A mindless soldier who's expected to follow orders. At least that was what Junior had told her. She trusted him implicitly. He was one of only two people in the world who had earned such esteem.

Still, it would not do to spoil the mood with the harsh reality that both she and Miltia knew to be true. Instead she merely continued her assault. "Aw," she cooed. "Are you feeling sorry for the little huntsman?"

"I'd feel sorry for anyone after having to drink with you for a night."

The words were meant to insult her, but Melanie took them in stride. She was far better at this game than her sister. "I can just see it now. 'Like, oh em gee, Melanie'," Melanie sang teasingly. "'He's like a poor baby bird with a hurt wing. I need to nurse him back to health.'"

The mocking words earned their intended response as Miltia growled in anger before replying. "Will you please just shut up already?"

Melanie laughed, her sister's reaction finally getting the better of her poker face.

However her laughter seemed to give Miltia the wrong idea if her next words were an indicator. "Wow, you're actually laughing at your own joke. Can you say pathetic?"

Yep. She was mad. Totally, totally mad.

"I don't know. Can you say 'too easy'?"

"Depends. How many drinks have you had today?"

The implication was not lost on Melanie. A tiny ember of anger ignited within her, causing her to respond in kind. "Depends. How many bandaged hands does it take for you to put out?"

"I dunno. How about you give me a benchmark to go off of? I wouldn't want to upstage you at your own game."

Little brat. As if she would ever be that easy. Melanie may have had the reputation for being the wilder of the twins, but she was by no means like any of those average dishrag whores who frequently showed up to Junior's place looking to hook up with a hot piece of ass. No, Melanie had standards. Unreasonably high ones. She would toy and tease. She would let those around her think that they were seducing her. However in the end she would always cut them off, thanking them for the drinks before moving on to the next guy.

It wasn't even about the free booze either. She had all of that she could ever want. To her it was all about the power that came with wrapping men around her innocent, delicate finger. The thrill of making them think that they was going to get lucky that night after getting her drunk and horny. Then crushing them the moment they felt their victory was at hand. The looks of shock, betrayal and sometimes even anger on their faces were priceless when they realized that she could have drank them under the table without a second thought. It was an intoxicating sensation that made her feel alive almost as much as fighting did.

Of course if any of them decided to try and get a little bit pushy with her after the rejection, well, a single bladed heel to their manhood was all that it took to make them flee.

"Bitch," Melanie replied simply.

Miltia finally looked her way, a smug smirk on her face that looked all too satisfied with herself. "What's wrong, can't handle a little shit being thrown your way?"

"Your shit sucks," the elder twin shot back. "Just like your stupid little stray fetish."

"It isn't a stray fetish. I told you it's called compassion."

"What-ever," Melanie said exaggeratedly. "He's not even a stray to begin with."

Miltia's voice softened with her next words. "You heard him last night. He has nowhere to go. Doesn't that remind you of anyone?"

The delicate words earned a response that was anything but that as Melanie looked her way. "Bull-fucking-shit. That's not even close to being the same and you know it."

The other girl shrugged. "I know. But still."

"At least he has a family to go back to. That's a lot more than you and me can say." Miltia was about to respond before Melanie cut her off. "Yeah yeah, I know. Hei. You don't have to remind me. But you know what I mean."

Miltia seemed satisfied with her sister's correction if her nod was anything to go by. "Yeah. I do."

"All I'm saying is that he shouldn't take what he has for granted. I mean, _seven_ fucking sisters? Are you serious?"

A soft giggle slipped through Miltia's lips. "Rabbit faunus."

Melanie shook her head, but couldn't stop a small smile from forming on her lips. "You're so dumb."

"Yeah? If I am it's only 'cause I learned from the best, _big sis_."

Brat. That's what Miltia was. An immature little brat.

Melanie would be the bigger person here, the more mature one, being the big sister that she was. Rather than hitting her younger twin with an awesome comeback she decided to move the conversation forward. "So what are you going to do now?"

Her sister's head tilted slightly in confusion. "Hmm?"

"Once your new secret crush is awake. He's like, leaving today. So what are you going to do?"

"Can you please not start with that again?"

What a mood killer her sister was. However, Melanie decided to spare her any more teasing.

Instead she decided to ask a genuine question that was on her mind. "He's your little charity case with nowhere to go. So are you going to help him out?"

A breath slipped through Miltia's nose, halfway between a laugh and a scoff. "And how would I do that?"

"I dunno."

"Wow. Thanks for the incredible help, Mel."

"Whatever. It's not like we don't have bigger things going on in our lives right now."

It was true. The sad story of Jaune Arc was but a mere distraction compared to what they were going through right now. A wrecked club. Lien issues. Losing hold of the criminal underground. A brand new threat in town. Those were things that really mattered. Those were the things which would affect their very lives.

Right now she and Miltia were only as active as they were because it was necessary. Normally Junior would have his thugs do all of the heavy lifting. All of the dirty work. That left the two of them with the luxury of picking and choosing what jobs they wished to do out of sheer boredom. However things were not so easy anymore. They were undermanned. The twins were now having to venture out into the field themselves, and while they were fully capable of doing so, the fact that they were needed spoke volumes of how bad things had gotten in Junior's operation.

Melanie froze. Her eyes widened, and her mouth opened slightly before her lips curled into a mischievous smirk.

Miltia noticed this when she stopped and looked her sister's way. "Melanie?" she questioned.

The elder twin looked her sister in the eyes, smile still present on her face. "I just had an idea."

* * *

What was he even supposed to do right now?

Junior did not make small talk. He didn't like small talk. His job, aside from kicking ass, was to give orders and give drinks. Orders were simple. Do this. Go there. They were cold. Impersonal. Practical.

He did not like this emotional garbage. He did not want to talk about the kid's crushed dreams. He had no words of comfort to offer.

So what was he supposed to do with this kid sitting down at the bar in front of him?

Jaune had simply shrugged and nodded as he sat down after Junior's comment about his appearance. He did indeed look like crap. Junior had seen more than his fair share of hangover's even without Melanie's almost constant presence at the bar. He could tell that Jaune had just gotten finished cleaning himself up in the washroom. The fact that one of his few remaining men was currently mopping away the familiar sight and stench of vomit only confirmed his suspicions.

He didn't know what to do next. Offer the kid a drink? That'd only make things worse, and he very much doubted that Jaune would have the desire to drink again anytime soon. Kick him to the curb? He was sure Melanie would throw a fit if she didn't get one last chance to screw with the boy's brain before he left. It left the crime boss in a tough spot. One filled with uncomfortable silence.

So there he stood. A cloth in one hand and a shot glass in the other. Cleaning it. Over and over again before moving onto the next already clean glass. It was better than the emotional shit. He had had enough of that for one lifetime.

Over the sounds of power tools and the rubbing of cloth against glass, a voice was a welcome distraction. "Is your name really Junior?"

Junior looked up at him. "What?"

The question caught the large man by surprise. Did the kid not remember that Melanie had used his real name the previous night? Had he gotten too drunk and forgotten? Or did he simply not realize it had been a name to begin with?

Jaune shrugged, looking down at the bar as he spoke. "I don't know. It just seems weird for such a big guy like you to be named Junior."

Which was exactly the point. It was irony. It was like the giant walking mass of muscle being named "Tiny".

The man shot a glare at Jaune, who looked up to meet it expecting a response. The two remained silent for long seconds before Junior finally responded. "Yeah," he said sarcastically. "My name's really Junior."

"Oh. That's cool."

Did he... actually believe it? Not that Junior cared in the first place. The whole reason for having the nickname was because he did not want people to know his real identity. Still though, did the kid really not pick up on the sarcasm? Perhaps the liquor from the previous night had hit him harder than it looked.

Silence once again settled over the two as Junior moved onto another glass. He didn't know much longer he could keep cleaning the same clean glasses over and over again. He supposed he could go over and supervise his remaining men, but really at this point what was there left to supervise? The trash and debris had been cleared. The floor was being reconstructed. All that remained now was to wait for the new furniture and decorations to be delivered, and that would not happen for another few days.

Awkward situation or not, he would not run away from it. He would not excuse himself simply because he didn't want to be around the boy. This was his club. It was his bar. If that meant standing tall in a situation he would have rather avoided, then so be it.

Perhaps the best course of action truly would be to give the kid a hint that it was time for him to go. That he was sorry that Beacon didn't work out, but that this wasn't a hotel. At least it wasn't anymore. That way he wouldn't outright tell Jaune to leave, thus avoiding Melanie's wrath. At the same time the boy would perhaps take matters into his own hands and get moving so that he could return home and face whatever consequences would come with attempting to fake his way into a combat school.

"So what are you going to do now?" Junior asked.

He saw how Jaune's shoulders visibly slumped at the question. A frown formed on his face as he spoke. "I don't know. I didn't exactly have a lot of time to think about it last night."

Junior grunted a response. It was true enough. A night of drinking with the twins did not give a man a whole lot of freedom or choices in what he did. Once Melanie set her sights on her prey they were as good as hers, for better or for worse. Miltia would sometimes join in on the fun from the sidelines, but she was mostly present to ensure no one went too far. Almost like an official in a combat tournament.

"Guess so," the man admitted.

"Is that really how they treat someone who helped them out?" the kid asked. Junior knew he was referring to a few nights ago when he had stumbled in on the twins at their weakest. And if he had to admit to it, himself as well.

Junior also knew that Jaune was referring to the state in which he had awoken that morning. Finding the kid passed out at the bar was little surprise to the former huntsman. However finding his face covered in makeup and writing and his hair in braids was a little bit more than he had been expecting. However at the end of the day it was nothing more than innocent fun. Things could have been worse. Things could always be worse. It was a lesson he had learned long ago.

"Trust me, kid," Junior said gruffly. "This is them showing their appreciation."

Jaune looked at him in disbelief. "What?"

"I mean, you're still breathing. Aren't you?"

He saw how Jaune's eyes widened at the question. His slumping posture straightened as well. "Wait, you mean I should feel lucky that they didn't kill me?"

Junior shrugged. "I don't know. You wanna be the first to find out?"

A light sigh slipped through the blonde's lips. "No. I guess not."

A low hum acknowledged Jaune's answer. The boy didn't know it, but Junior knew that killing was something which neither of the twins had ever done. They were selfish, yes. Violent when they wanted to be. They were used to getting things their way. However none of those things had ever been enough to drive them to take the life of another human being. Deep down Junior knew that neither had the desire to either.

In any case the problem at hand had not been resolved. The conversation had become slightly derailed and he was no closer to getting Jaune out of his hair. With as much grace as a rampaging Goliath, Junior asked the same question he had only a minute earlier.

"So what are you going to do?"

He saw the blonde take a deep breath. As he was about to answer, however, a pair of distractions walked through the door.

"Guess what we have!"

The familiar voice of Melanie rang through the club and over the noise of the repairs which were going on. A look over toward the front door revealed both girls carrying large black bags which could have only come from a tailor or clothing store. And considering how excited the girls had been about their morning trip, he could guess which it had been.

To the twins getting their old prized dresses back was about more than just fashion. It was about moving forward with their lives. About moving past what had happened the night where blondie had shown up. About things getting back to normal.

Junior was all too thankful for their appearance. Now he would be freed from babysitting the aspiring huntsman. With Melanie there to act as the distraction that she was, Jaune would have more than enough on his plate. Perhaps enough that he would decide to leave if only to escape the mischievous machinations of the older Malachite.

He set his thrice-cleaned glass down behind the bar and made his way to leave. His path toward the counter's exit took him on an intercept course with the returning girls. It didn't take long for Melanie's eyes to lock onto his.

"Nope," she said with a small shake of her head. "You're staying."

Junior, the tall and imposing man, the former huntsman, the criminal boss, stopped in his tracks at the words of the petite girl. "What?"

"You stay," Melanie said once again as she pointed to the counter. Her focus then shifted to Jaune who had turned his attention to their conversation. "You leave."

"What?" Jaune echoed.

The girl breathed an annoyed sigh and rolled her eyes. "You stay and you leave," she repeated as her fingers gestured to each man she was referring to. " _Junior_ and I need to talk about something in private," she continued, her focus now entirely on Jaune. "Go wait at one of the tables over there. Don't worry. I know you'll totally miss us, but it won't take long."

Jaune's brow furrowed in confusion, particularly at the last part of the girl's order. However he soon found himself spinning on the stool before planting his feet on the ground and walking over to where Melanie had pointed. One of the few remaining tables in the club had been moved off to the opposite side of the room in order to leave the damaged portions of the place clear for the ease of repairs.

The twins took their seats in front of the counter with Junior remaining behind it. Once Jaune was out of earshot Junior turned his gaze to the elder twin for an explanation.

"You wanna tell me what's going on?" he asked.

Miltia had planted an elbow on the counter, propping her head up as she looked to her sister expectantly as well. Junior couldn't help but frown. If not even Miltia knew what sort of plan was working in the mind of her twin then it had to be something serious.

"Hei, this place is fucked."

Familiar words. She had said the same thing on the night that the blonde bitch had torn up the club. Only this time she was sober. He intended to keep it that way.

Junior looked around at the handful of men who were working to make it so that the place would no longer be fucked. "Yeah. Tell me something I don't know."

"You need men," Melanie continued. Her eyes drifted over to where her sister sat. "And not in the 'Miltia needs to get laid' kind of way."

"Shut up," the younger twin spat venomously.

Junior breathed out, struggling to keep from groaning. If this was just going to turn into another of the sister's petty fights then he very well may bring Jaune back. As uncomfortable as the silence between the two of them was, at least it was quiet.

"Anyway," the older twin said, ignoring the deadly glare that Miltia was sending her way. "We like, lost a lot of men because of that blonde chick. And because Roman sucks at what he does. Look at all we have left."

He didn't need to look. He knew that he could barely count on a dozen of his men to show up anymore. His strength had been cut in half in the span of less than a week. First from injuries or men quitting after the blondie incident. Then from the men who never came back from Roman's operation.

"Again," Junior said. "Tell me something I don't know."

"It's bad out there. Remember what we told you the Blood Axe Gang said? About there being a new player in town?"

Junior remembered. He also remembered how he would teach what was left of their outfit a lesson once he got his hands on a new weapon. Rusty or not, he was still a trained warrior. He was still leagues above the common street thugs that Vale's criminal underworld produced.

His voice was low and dangerous when he replied. "Yeah."

"So like, hire Jaune."

Junior's eyes narrowed. "What?"

Miltia's own eyes went from pissed off to shocked. "What?"

Melanie raised her hands defensively while serving to quell the surprised reactions of those around her. "Just listen. He has fighting experience, right?"

If he was telling the truth, he did. A boy who had received some huntsman training would at least know how to wield the sword he carried. The fact that his Aura was unlocked was a plus as well.

"Okay..."

The girl's tone darkened when she spoke next. In spite of her normal lackadaisical attitude towards most things in life, she was taking this situation seriously. "If shit's as bad as we think it's going to get then we could use all the people on our side we can get. If Jaune was really going to try to get into Beacon then he might be worth like, two of our normal scrubs."

She wasn't wrong there. A huntsman, even a first year student like Jaune would have been, would be worth at least two everyday street thugs. Even more if he had a decent level of skill. Each of the twins was worth at least five. While Junior had never seen Jaune in action, it was a safe bet that the kid would at least be able to handle himself against one, if not two of his black-suited goons.

The man looked over to where the kid was sitting on the other side of the room. Jaune was looking down to his scroll as he typed away on the device's keyboard.

Another sigh slipped through Junior's lips when he returned his gaze to Melanie. "I don't know. We're short on lien as it is."

The girl's face lit up at those words. "That's the best part, Hei," she said happily. "You wouldn't even need to pay him."

The statement earned Junior's curiosity. Enough to actually entertain the idea being presented to him. "What do you mean?"

The serious mask which Melanie had worn moments ago had shattered completely, reverting to the all too familiar predatory grin that hid none of her intentions from the world. "He's desperate. He doesn't want to go home. He has nowhere to go," she said, casting a glance over to Miltia. The girl in red stiffened at the words, but remained silent. "We can use it as leverage to make him do stuff."

The original plan had been to make Jaune a mole for their use at Beacon Academy. However with him being kicked out of the school before initiation, that plan had quickly amounted to nothing. Was Melanie onto something once more? If the kid really didn't want to go home, could they use his services here?

Before Junior could respond there came a surprising objection from the seat next to Melanie.

"No," Miltia said.

Melanie's smile faded as she turned to regard her sister. "Why are you talking about?"

"No," the girl repeated. "I know what you're up to, Melanie."

The girl in question feigned ignorance at the accusation. "And what am I up to, my dear sister?" The sweet and innocent tone was completely transparent. Probably by design too.

A dirty glare remained on the younger twin's face. "You just want him around so you can mess with him like last night," Miltia explained. "You think I don't know how you think?"

Melanie brushed off the accusation with a wave of her hand. "Oh please, you think that's all I care about?" she asked innocently. "Besides, if there just happens to be a little side benefit to him working here then what's the harm in that?"

"The harm is that he's going to get hurt," Miltia countered.

Melanie's face turned serious at those words. "As if I'd actually hurt him."

"No," the younger girl agreed. "But working a job like this would. He's too innocent for... this," she gestured to the club itself with an arm. "For this life. For the stuff we do."

Junior found himself siding with Miltia on this. Life as a huntsman was hard, but at least you knew in your heart that you were doing your best to help the people around you. At least... most huntsmen felt that way. A life of crime on the other hand afforded you no such illusions. You actively worked against people. You were outside of the law. You were in it for yourself. He wasn't sure that Jaune could ever live that kind of life. Not with that idealistic mindset of his.

"Yeah?" Melanie asked. "And what about being a huntsman?"

"What about it?"

"You think that life's any safer? Where was your concern for him when he was talking about wanting to go to Beacon?"

Junior saw how Miltia looked away. Melanie had caught her in a trap and the younger twin didn't like it.

"That was before we got to know him," Miltia explained.

"Yeah? And just how much did you get to know him in _one_ night?" Melanie argued. "It's not like it was a particularly intimate one night stand."

One night stand? Junior's eyes glared darkly over to where Jaune was sitting. He was certain that this was just a play on words by Melanie in order to make her sister uncomfortable. Still... the idea of someone getting that close to his girls, despite him not actually being their father, rubbed him the wrong way.

Miltia trudged on however, unaffected by her sister's words. "Enough to know that he'd be eaten alive by this sort of work."

"You don't know shit about him," the other girl countered. "You know he's got seven sisters and he likes rabbits or whatever. For all you know he could have the heart of a killer underneath that stupid little bunny head on his chest."

As far as hypothetical situations went, Junior knew that one was a stretch. He was certain Melanie knew it as well. However it got the point across that really neither of them knew the kid well enough to judge him. He was kind and innocent enough. Or so it seemed.

But then again, Junior had once been as well. Life had a way of changing people. For better or worse.

"It's a bad idea," Miltia argued. "That I do know."

"Why don't we ask him?" She turned to look Junior in the eyes. "What do you say, Hei? Jaune doesn't want to go home. Give him a place to sleep and free meals and he's as good as yours. You know that you could use the help."

It was something which Junior couldn't argue against. He did need the manpower. Especially if the gangs which had previously been under his thumb would start revolting. First the Blood Axe Gang had resisted the twins. How long would it be until the others followed suit? With his aura of invincibility destroyed in a single night by a teenage girl, it was only a matter of time before someone rose up to challenge him for supremacy.

He looked to Miltia, who sat there with her arms folded angrily, but otherwise did not protest. She had made her arguments. What more could she do? The kid had his free will. He would do what he wanted in the end.

Junior sighed. "Alright. Get him over here."

A smug smirk of satisfaction was plastered on Melanie's face as she turned to see where Jaune was sitting. "Hey! Boy toy!"

The fact that Jaune looked up in response to the nickname made Junior sigh again. He could already tell that Jaune's time with the twins had made a lasting impact on him.

Melanie waved him over to the bar, and Jaune was quick to get up and begin walking back. It didn't mean much, but the fact that the kid was already taking orders from the girl meant that he might just fit in well with the organization.

He took a seat to the right of both twins, sitting next to Miltia. The girl in question did not look at him as he did so, and kept her eyes firmly planted on the counter where her arms rested.

Meanwhile Melanie did not like the fact that she was separated from her prey by another person, and moved to sit on Jaune's other side. It was a familiar seating arrangement, with the twins sitting on either side of him. Junior knew that it was by design. He also knew that Melanie would use the proximity to her advantage.

"'Kay, so, we have an offer for you," she said as she poked Jaune's shoulder with a finger on the last word.

"Okay?" he questioned.

Melanie nodded over to Junior, signaling his cue to take over. After a low growl grumbled in his throat he spoke. "I'd like to offer you a job."

"A job?" he asked in a confused tone. It was matched by the new expression on his face. "Like the one from the other night?"

Junior shook his head. "No. Not a job like a mission. I'd like to offer you a position working for me at this club."

"A job," Jaune repeated. "What would I even do? I don't exactly know how to be a bartender or anything."

"Maybe you could be the janitor," Melanie offered. "I know it's not as glamorous as being a huntsman, but the world needs janitors too." The sour expression the blonde wore said that he did not find her comment amusing. The reaction only emboldened the girl. "Or like, you said you played the guitar. Maybe you could be the musical talent. I think we need a new DJ too. How do you feel about wearing a giant bear mask?"

"Melanie, can we please take this seriously?" Junior asked.

An annoyed breath shot up from the girl's mouth with enough force to move the bangs on her forehead. "Whatever."

Junior nodded before turning back to Jaune. "Bottom line is that I need some muscle. You saw what happened to my boys who got hired for that botched job. None of them ever came back. So I'm a little short-staffed right now."

He saw how Jaune's shoulders stiffened at the mention of the robbery gone wrong and how he swallowed hard before speaking. It must have been quite a failure by Roman to elicit such a reaction.

"Yeah," he agreed. I remember."

"So like I said, I need men. It's not an easy job. It's not a pretty job. But it's a job. You'd have a place to stay and something to eat. You wouldn't have to go home yet."

He knew that the last part would be one of the key selling points according to Melanie. If Jaune really did not want to go home after failing to get into Beacon Academy then staying here would be a way out for him.

But rather than Jaune answering him, it was Miltia who spoke next. "You don't have to if you don't want to," she said, earning the boy's attention. "Not everyone can do this sort of thing."

It was just Miltia being Miltia. Even with someone she barely knew that protective streak of hers was alive and well.

Jaune, however, looked like he did not appreciate the girl's concern for him. "Not everyone can do it? Or I can't do it?"

The younger twin looked at him quizzically. "What?"

"Nothing," he sighed. "I'm sorry. It's just... forget about it." His tone seemed tired the way he had said it. He turned back to look at Junior, his gaze harder than it had been before. "When do I start?"

The words earned a different reaction from the twins. Melanie's proud smirk reemerged as her eyes drifted over to regard Jaune, bumping a shoulder against one of his own. Miltia's own face fell with a frown on her lips.

"Today," Junior told him. "I'll have one of the boys give you a room on the fourth floor. It'll be up to you to get it cleaned up enough to sleep in it."

Jaune looked a little bit confused at the statement but nodded. It was clear he was not about to turn down the offer of a free place to stay in downtown Vale.

"Tomorrow though, you'll start earning your keep. Welcome to the club."

* * *

 **Author's Note:** And so begins a new phase in Jaune's life. He has no idea what he's in for.

Questions comments and concerns are always welcome. Naturally I don't offer spoilers, but if there is anything you'd like answered about the story so far don't hesitate to ask in a review or send me a PM.

Thanks for reading.


	7. Chapter 7

The sound of a beeping scroll woke Jaune to the sight of an unfamiliar room. It wasn't the hotel he had been staying at in recent days. It most certainly was not the main hall of Beacon Academy. It wasn't much of anything, really.

Jaune recalled how Junior had explained that the building had once been an apartment complex before he had taken over. The amount of lien the man must have had was incredible to think about if he had been able to convert the first couple of floors into the nightclub that it was. With the third floor reserved for supplies and storage, Jaune had found himself a home in one of the old residential rooms on the fourth floor. Well, sort of a home at least.

The few items which were in the room had been covered in dust. Truth be told there was not a lot in there aside from the bed. It was an old and creaky mess, probably left there by whoever had previously lived in the place before Junior had become the owner. When Jaune had sat down upon it he felt himself sink into it almost immediately. However beggars could not be choosers, and without it Jaune would have been left to sleep on the hard and filthy wood floor. A fresh set of bed sheets had made it somewhat habitable for the night, but it would take a lot longer to make this place feel like a home.

It was still such a strange thought. This was his home now. At least temporarily. He wondered if this was what it would have been like to stay at Beacon. To truly stay at Beacon. In a dorm room and with a team. Something which he would never have now.

He pushed the thought from his mind. The last thing he needed was to think about all that he did not have. He had to focus on the future. For the moment his future was here at Junior's club. More specifically, in the kitchen.

After digging into his suitcase and finding suitable clothes to be seen in outside, Jaune exited his room and made his way down the hall to the staircase. It was still hard to believe the sheer size of this place. How had three people, four now including himself, lived in an entire apartment complex by themselves? It wasn't the biggest of buildings, sure, but it was still a place which could have normally housed dozens of families. Junior must have made good lien from his club to be able to afford the payments for a place this size.

That, or the man found other ways to obtain the necessary lien. He was a criminal after all.

Jaune didn't want to think about that at the moment, however. The kitchen. The kitchen was his goal. It was the reason he was up so early this morning. When Junior had spoken to him the previous night the man inquired about any skills besides combat that he might have. When Jaune had mentioned cooking it had appeared as if a decision had been made right then and there in the older man's mind. His task the following morning would be to prepare breakfast for the four of them. Junior had told him how he normally went out and purchased food for himself and the girls, but with lien being tight these days he would rather start using the large amount of food sitting unused in the club's kitchen.

Stepping into the back area of the club, it was a familiar sight. He had been there once before when meeting with Junior for the second time in order to discuss the details of his transcripts. Only this time it was empty. It was also large. Larger than any kitchen he had ever been in before in his life. Certainly larger than the one at home.

He ran a hand through his long blonde locks as he tried not to let himself be intimidated. "Okay, Jaune..." he said to himself. "No problem. You've done this before."

While Jaune was no gourmet chef he also was no stranger to a kitchen. His sister's had made sure of that. He could not recall the number of times where one of his older sisters had dragged him with in order to teach him something. Nor could he remember how many times one of his younger sisters had asked him for his help afterward. It was strange how he always seemed to be involved no matter who was the one cooking up some sort of experiment in the kitchen. Was he there to be a scapegoat in case something went wrong? Or was it merely some form of sisterly torture for the only brother that they had?

In any case he had been given a task. He would complete it. It was just a shame that absolutely no details had gone into how he was supposed to go about accomplishing it.

What did they eat? How much should he prepare? Did anyone have any allergies? What did they even have on hand?

His first stop was the huge walk-in refrigerator. On the shelves inside he saw that it must have been where they stored everything that was not meat. Everything from fresh fruit and vegetables to eggs to bread and so much more was sitting there waiting to be used.

"Well... this is a little bigger than the fridge at home."

He scooped up a few select items before leaving. Already a plan was formulating in his mind, and his next stop was the actual freezer. Smaller than the refrigerator, he opened up the doors to find a large selection of frozen meats to select from. He grabbed one package in particular before bringing everything to one of the large counters in the middle of the room and setting the items down.

After scrounging for a couple of pans he let himself go to work. Soon enough the sizzling sounds of the culinary arts began to fill his ears, the occasional pop of grease bursting and sending globs of liquefied fat flying through the air. His mouth watered at the scents filling the room, and his stomach craved to be filled with the source of them.

It took around twenty minutes of preparation and cooking, but that time was nearly at hand. After dropping several pieces of bread into multiple toasters, Jaune turned off the flames and gathered together a few plates. Dishing out portions onto each of the four plates, he tried to imagine how much everyone might eat based on his own experiences. Junior could probably handle about twice as much as he would. He was a big guy after all, having probably half a foot on Jaune himself. He made sure to fill Junior's plate to capacity.

For each of the twins however, his thoughts went once more to his sisters. If the girls were anything like his own siblings then they wouldn't want to stuff their faces in public. Or even in the company of people who they knew. For that reason he put the same amount on their plates as he did for his own, not expecting them to eat it all but at the same time not wanting to assume too much and give them too little. He had wound up making a lot of food, and there would be more waiting in the kitchen should they desire it.

With the hot and fresh toast placed on the plates last, Jaune decided to go and see if anyone else was even awake at the moment, and pushed through the double doors of the kitchen and back out into the club's main room. It was like a breath of fresh air hitting him, and he had not realized at the time just how hot it had gotten back in the kitchen.

There were a few people at the club working now, but only three of them mattered. The first he saw standing over by the bar, her hands pressed down atop the counter and head looking around the area closest to her. After a few seconds she turned, a dejected look on her face as she leaned back against the wood.

Jaune recognized the weariness she had in her eyes as he approached. Perhaps a nice warm meal would help to wake her up. "Hey, Miltia?"

She looked up at him, a nearly blank expression on her face. "Huh?"

He stopped short of informing her of the food, instead more concerned by her noticeable lack of energy. "Um, everything alright?"

A tiny, tired groan slipped through her lips in response.

Jaune frowned. "What's wrong?"

A breath shot through her nostrils as she shook her head softly. "No donuts. No coffee."

Well, at least he had the cure to her first issue. Sort of. It may not have been donuts, but it was food. Coffee on the other hand was something which he had not taken into consideration. He didn't drink coffee. He didn't even know how to make it. So unfortunately for her he would not be able to grant her a perfect morning meal.

Jaune shrugged lightly in response. "Well it may not be donuts, but I made breakfast this morning if you want some."

Almost immediately the girl perked up, her eyes rising to meet his own. Eyes full of hope. "You what?"

The sudden attention was unexpected, and his hand reached up to scratch the back of his head. "Yeah. It's not much, but Junior had me make breakfast this morning."

If Jaune had to guess however, it looked as if the girl opposite him disagreed with his opinion. The mere mention of food had seemingly woken her from her morning haze, and she focused on him rather than the bar or the floor around it.

"Yeah, I'll have some," she said, a hint of eagerness in her tone. "I'm gonna text Melanie and tell her to come down."

He smiled, nodding an affirmation. "Okay. Grab a seat and I'll bring it out to you. Be right back."

Returning to the kitchen Jaune was hit with a wave of hot, steamy and delicious smelling air once more. Being out of the kitchen and then going back into it only made the heat more apparent and unbearable to be in. After scooping up a pair of plates and silverware he once more pushed through the doors and began looking around for the girl in red.

The blood-red dress stood out like a gemstone in the black and white room, and Jaune made his way over to her as quickly as he could without risking dropping the plates. He was no waiter and he was certainly no cook, but he was doing the best he could. It was certainly better than being the place's new janitor as Melanie had suggested the previous day.

It was a short ascent up a small black staircase to reach the second level of the club's massive central room. Miltia sat at one of the tables there waiting for him to arrive with her and Melanie's meals. He hoped that they would not be disappointed.

When he placed the plate down in front of Miltia he saw how her eyes widened a little at the sight of the food in front of her. Scrambled eggs took up about half of the room on the plate, while a few strips of bacon and a piece of toast took up the remaining space.

The girl picked up her fork and poked at the eggs. "You made this?"

He shrugged again, not quite knowing what to make about the girl's disbelief about the fact that he had cooked this morning. "Yup."

After a few more prods she gathered up a clump of yellow eggs onto her fork and slid them into her mouth. She made no sound, but if her expressive eyebrows were anything to go by he would assume that she was impressed. Or at the very least surprised at not being disappointed by what she tasted.

She swallowed before she spoke. "It's actually pretty good," she said. To Jaune her choice of words all but admitted she had been expecting it to be terrible. "Why do you know how to cook anyway?"

"Well it's not like eggs and bacon are even hard to do," he admitted. "But it was my sisters. For some reason a few of them were really into the idea of me cooking. I guess I learned because they forced me, and so they'd leave me alone."

Miltia hummed a response. She took another bite, her fork filled to the brim this time. "So is going to be like, a normal thing?"

"Don't know. I guess if Junior wants it to be. He said I have to earn my keep so I guess this is one way of doing it. And that it'd be a good way to start saving lien."

If it was to become a regular thing then Jaune would be happy to do it. At least it was something he knew how to do reasonably well.

Whether it was officially on the books or not, Jaune had been taken on as muscle for the older man. What exactly that entailed he did not know. He assumed he would most likely protecting the club from rowdy drunks and ensuring that the events of a week ago did not happen again. All in all being a bouncer wouldn't be that bad of a job. He had Aura, size and basic fighting skills. The average guy off the streets would probably be lacking most if not all of those qualities.

If he could put on a little more muscle then his already impressive height would be made all the more effective. While he wasn't exactly scrawny, he was a little lanky for someone with his six foot one inch frame.

Jaune was shaken from his thoughts when Miltia spoke again. "Can you make a pumpkin spice?"

His mind worked to figure out what exactly she meant by that, but he came up empty. "Is that some kind of pie flavor?"

The dejected sigh which slipped through her lips told him that his guess was wrong. "Never mind."

Silence settled over the pair as Miltia continued to eat. It was a slow and delicate process, not unlike what he would have seen from one of his sisters. For a moment Jaune wondered if he should leave her alone while she waited for her sister to arrive, but a thought from the previous day entered his mind.

He turned his attention back to the girl sitting in front of him. "Hey, can I ask you a question?"

Miltia looked up, swallowed and nodded. "Sure."

"Yesterday when you said I didn't have to take the job, when you said not everyone could do it. What did you mean by that?"

The girl didn't answer immediately. She looked off to the side for a few moments before her focus returned to him. After a few seconds she seemed ready to give her explanation. She set the fork down on her plate. "You seem like a good person," she said with a frown. It struck Jaune as strange that such an expression would accompany a compliment.

A confused frown of his own formed on his face in response. "Uh, thanks?"

Miltia shook her head. "That's not a good thing. I don't know you that well, but you seem too nice to do the kind of stuff you'll need to."

Since when was being too nice a bad thing? Of course Jaune was not the sort to be walked all over and taken advantage of due to his kindness. However he did try to be nice to everyone he met, whether they were friends or strangers. After all, strangers were just friends you hadn't met yet. She and Melanie had been strangers the night he found the two sisters injured.

However he was more than curious about the last part of her statement. "What kind of stuff am I going to be doing?"

"The night you found Melanie and me... most people we do business with wouldn't have helped us out like that." The fork was in her hand once more, and she had once again started to pick and prod at the food on her plate. "It's not... best for business, you could say."

Jaune did not know what that meant or how it connected to what he would be expected to do. What he did know however was that a tiny ember of anger flared up inside of him at the thought of someone not helping out people who had just been assaulted in their own workplace. Aspiring huntsman or not, it was just the decent thing to do.

Still, he wanted clarification if he was to do his new job well. "I did the right thing, didn't I?"

"Yeah," she said. Her eyes dropped down to the hand which held her fork. "That's the problem."

If he did the right thing then why was he too nice to do the kind of stuff he would need to? He never got a chance to voice his question, however.

"Miltia, if this is some stupid drunk text of yours I'm gonna be pissed," a second female voice said from behind him.

Jaune turned to see the longer-haired twin approaching, wearing the stylish white and teal dress he had seen her in the first night they had met. It, like the red dress which Miltia wore, was clean and mended of any holes and tears. Along with the boa around her neck it made her look like some sort of glamorous movie star. Perhaps that was the point.

"Sorry, not all of us get drunk at nine in the morning, Melanie," the other twin shot back at the approaching girl.

Melanie stopped before the table, her hands placed on her hips as she looked down at the plates atop it. "Huh. He actually did cook," she said as her gaze turned up to look at Jaune. "Did you get my pumpkin spice?"

"There's no pumpkin spice," Miltia said glumly.

An annoyed breath shot from Melanie's mouth as she sat down in front of the plate he had brought for her. "Whatever. I guess I was expecting too much from him."

"Yeah, but check it out, the food's actually pretty good," her sister said in his defense. "Try it."

It was almost strange how the girls had cut him out of the conversation entirely. Almost, because he had experienced it plenty of times before. They were speaking about him right in front of him seemingly without a care about what he had to say. He was once more reminded of his own sisters and how they would sometimes have entire conversations about him and speak on his behalf. Even when he was standing right there in front of them.

That changed when it was Melanie who scooped up a fork full of food and placed it in her mouth. A reaction not unlike Miltia's formed on her face, and soon she too looked up at him. "You made this?"

Was it truly so hard to believe that he could put together a basic breakfast? He wasn't useless after all. His family had made sure of that. Being one of eight children meant more than just picking up a few skills which his sisters wanted to teach him. Helping to look after his siblings and do things around the house in order to aid his parents came with the territory. Especially when one of them was a huntsman who could be away from home for potentially weeks at a time. As a result Jaune as well as his siblings had become adept at all kinds of housework to assist their mother.

"Yeah," he confirmed once more.

"Hmm," the girl hummed thoughtfully. "I'm sure you'll make a great wife one day."

The soft giggle from Miltia forced a small frown onto his face. He looked over to her to see that she had brought a hand up over her mouth, her eyes locking onto his for a brief moment before she looked back down at her food. Men could cook too! Plenty of great and famous chefs were men!

Melanie clearly saw the lack of amusement on his features and reached up to poke his arm with a finger. "Calm down, little huntsman," she cooed. "I'm just kidding."

Her words did anything but calm him, however. "About that name. I really wish you'd stop calling me that."

He wasn't a huntsman. And now that he had lost his chance to attend Beacon he never would be.

The girl's lips slowly curled up into a predatory grin, her eyes locked onto his. Before Jaune could comment, however, he heard a sigh from the other side of the table.

"You really shouldn't have said that," Miltia said with an almost tired expression.

Jaune's tone turned cautious in reply. "Why?"

The girl in red just shook her head softly. "As if she needed anything else to use against you."

"Oh come on, Miltia," Melanie said innocently. "I'm not _that_ bad." She pushed one of the empty seats out from under the table with a leg before her hand drifted up once more to place itself upon Jaune's arm. "You don't have to just stand there, you know. Come here and sit down. Talk with us."

The feeling of Melanie's fingertips brushing against the skin on his arm sent chills running through his body. Had he been any other red-blooded male, the idea of dining with the two beauties would have been a dream come true. However memories of the last time he sat down to spend time with the girls was still fresh in his mind. It was not something he intended to repeat anytime soon.

The look on the girl's face was hungry, and Jaune could tell that it was not for the food he had prepared for her. Melanie's invitation was anything but innocent. He was very easily able to put the pieces of this puzzle together, however he could not think of any excuse to not sit down right now that wouldn't offend the girl. The last thing he wanted was to be on the receiving end of any real wrath from the girl. He was saved, however, from an unlikely source.

"H- Junior's down here now," she said as she pointed over to the man who stood at the bar. "You should probably bring him his food."

Melanie gasped dramatically. "Wow, cook _and_ waiter? Someone's really moving up in the world."

Jaune ignored the intended insult and merely nodded to Miltia. "Yeah. I should get on that. Thanks."

He received no answer from the red-dressed girl, while the annoyed harrumph of Melanie told him that she was unhappy that he would not be around for her to have fun with.

A soft sigh slipped through his lips as he made his way back to the kitchen. He had spent seventeen years growing up in a household full of women. It should have prepared him for this. Somehow it had not. He could only imagine what would lay in store for him in the coming months.

* * *

Miltia watched as Jaune descended the stairs, his pace perhaps a little quicker than she would have expected. Perhaps he was in a hurry to deliver food to his new boss. Or perhaps he was simply eager to get away from her overbearing sister. Whatever the case, he quickly found himself behind the bar and through the doors which led back to the club's kitchen.

She absentmindedly brought her fork back up to her lips, enjoying the taste of what he had called a simple meal. Simple to him, perhaps, but Miltia had never tried cooking before. She had never had the opportunity to learn. She had never wanted to. Life since Junior had entered the picture had been primarily about one thing. Survival.

Cooking may have been a useful skill, but fighting was better. You could cook a meal if you had the lien for food and the equipment to make the meal. However it was so much easier to knock a man on his ass and rob him in order to buy pre-made food. In that way she would always be able to fend for herself. She would never again be at the mercy of others.

Until that one night...

"Miltia?"

She was broken from her thoughts at the mention of her name. She looked back over to see her sister staring at her with a curious look on her face.

"Huh?"

"I said, I didn't interrupt anything, did I?" Melanie's expression changed with the question, a knowing smirk curling on her lips with the question.

"What are you talking about?"

Melanie scoffed, a small shake of her head showing her displeasure. "You're no fun today."

It took a moment, but Miltia caught on to what her sister had been implying. As well as what she had been attempting. "Oh my gods," she sighed. "Can you seriously not be annoying for like, one meal?"

"Wow. Seriously. Totally bitchy lately."

"I have not been bitchy lately," Miltia countered. "But if I have been it's only because you've been so annoying with your stupid jokes."

"No no, I get it," her older sister said. "You're going through latte withdrawal. I totally understand."

While the lack of her usual pumpkin spice latte in the morning was an annoying inconvenience, it was nothing compared to the sister who for the past two mornings had been making all sorts of jokes concerning her and Jaune.

"I've got it," Melanie said with a snap of her fingers. Her eyes were bright with inspiration as she gazed into her twin's own green orbs. "We train him to get our lattes."

"Train him?"

"Yeah. Like, we can reward him if he gets them before we wake up. Something like that. I don't know."

Miltia wanted to tell her sister how stupid both she and her idea was. Before she could, however, her eyes once more dropped down to the plate in front of her. She remembered what Jaune had told her. It was there for a reason.

"Melanie," she said carefully. "I don't think there's gonna be a lot of pumpkin spices anymore."

Her sister looked as though she had just been betrayed. Green eyes widened at the words, her fork placed down on the table. Miltia imagined that it was so the girl would not drop it in shock.

"What do you mean?"

"Jaune told me that Junior had him cook to save lien," she explained. "That's why there were no donuts this morning. And no lattes."

Any traces of playfulness or amusement had been wiped off of Melanie's face at the words. Miltia heard her take a deep breath before exhaling softly. "Fuck," she breathed out.

"Yeah," Miltia agreed. "Fucking blonde bitch."

"Fucking bitch," Melanie echoed.

Silence overtook the table, the only noise coming from the forks scraping the plates as both girls stabbed at the remaining food on their plates.

Looking back over the railing and down below Miltia saw that Jaune had returned to the bar, sitting down at it across from where Junior stood. Both men had plates in front of them. Apparently the blonde had chosen to spend his time with Junior rather than the two of them. She couldn't exactly blame him for that. Melanie made it a rather uncomfortable work environment. Around her sexual harassment was something to be expected.

She stared down at them, head propped up on the table with her right arm. She wondered what their next move would be. What would Junior have Jaune do for them? What would Junior himself do? What would she and Melanie do?

"Miltia."

For a second time she was stirred from her thoughts by her sister. Miltia brought her attention on her once more. "Hmm?"

"I'm bored," Melanie said, her voice not at all matching the feeling she was claiming to have.

Miltia's eyes narrowed as they focused on the girl opposite her. Her head tilted slightly in curiosity. "What did you have in mind?"

"We should go out again sometime since lien's getting a little tight."

To most people it would have been a contradiction. People didn't go out when they were low on money. However Miltia understood the meaning of her sister's words. Their last night on the town was still fresh in her mind.

"Sure," she agreed. "I'm sure Hei could use the extra lien."

"Probably," Melanie waved dismissively. "So could our little fund."

Eyes narrowed once again, this time in confusion. "Our fund?"

"The latte fund, duh," the older girl said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Pumpkin spice lattes are like, a basic human need or whatever."

Miltia laughed softly. She couldn't exactly bring herself to disagree with the statement. Instead she just did the next best thing. "I should probably thank you for getting Jaune to stay. Now I have someone other than Hei to talk to who's at least kinda smart."

"Good idea," Melanie smiled, ignoring the intended insult. "We'll bring him along too."

The smile dropped from her face. "What?"

"He's our new muscle, right?"

He was. Junior had said as much.

"Yeah?"

"So we should totally see what he can do," Melanie said excitedly. "Let's see him in action. He has a sword right? I know you'd _love_ to get a glimpse of it."

Miltia couldn't even bring herself to get upset over another of her sister's jokes. The idea of Jaune going out there and getting himself into fights with criminals did not sit well with her. She had meant what she had said earlier. He was a good person. Good people did not go around picking fights with others. She doubted that he had it in him to swing his sword in anger at another person.

If he didn't then he'd wind up dead.

She couldn't refuse her sister's idea. Jaune was his own man after all. If he got word of her not wanting him to come along then he'd probably just insist on doing so. She remembered his words from both last night and this morning.

Instead Miltia decided to go a different route. "Let's ask Hei what he thinks."

He was technically their boss too, even if he didn't act like one. Going to him for advice on what to do with Jaune was the best idea. She was certain that the man had enough sense not to send Jaune with them on a dangerous trip like that.

"Whatever," the other girl said. It seemed like Melanie realized this as well if her response was anything to go by.

Miltia looked back down to where the two men sat. She could hear indistinct talking coming from the area. Junior was normally not the most sociable of people. She wondered what the two of them were discussing.

* * *

"Huh. It's actually not bad."

Why was that everyone's reaction? Seriously. Like it was difficult to screw up bacon and eggs.

"I don't hear the girls complaining either," Junior continued. "So they must not think it's bad either."

Jaune briefly considered calling home in order to get some tips and advice on how to cook a much better and more complex meal. Food and cooking was an art itself, was it not? Surely it wouldn't be that hard to convince his sisters that his art school offered culinary courses. They would in fact probably jump at the chance to help him thrive in his classes.

In the end he wound up shrugging at what he would decide to take as a compliment. "Thanks."

Junior grunted an acknowledgement. Most might have thought it was because his mouth was full at the time. However Jaune had noticed over the course of a few discussions with the man that he simply did not make small talk. It was especially apparent when the pair of Malachite sisters were in the vicinity.

Jaune fought an urge to look up to where the two of them were currently sitting. He didn't want to draw any more of Melanie's attention to himself than he already had today. Her believing him to be looking up at her would likely cause her to continue where she had left off. Then again it wasn't like she even needed a prompt or a reason to come and bother him some more. This was her home after all. He was a guest there only because Junior had allowed it.

He wondered what he would be doing for the rest of the day. With the club still days, perhaps even weeks from being reopened it wasn't like he could act as the muscle that he was hired for. Perhaps he would begin to get his new room in order. He wondered if there was a duster anywhere in the building. Was there some sort of utility closet? Was there even a cleaning staff of any kind at all? Melanie had joked about him becoming the janitor last night. Did that mean they had one to replace, or simply didn't have one period?

"What are your plans for the day?"

The question caused Jaune to look up and see that Junior was looking down at him from where he stood. It was odd. Even when the man ate he was standing behind the bar. The only time he could remember him not standing was the day where the two had discussed his transcripts.

"I don't know," he answered honestly. "What is there for me to do?"

Junior hummed. "Not much, admittedly," he said. "Which is why I asked if you planned on doing anything."

Jaune looked away for a few seconds as he thought about it. "I guess I was going to try and clean up that room you gave me last night. Got any better beds around here than that one?"

"No. You're out of luck there, kid."

He certainly didn't feel like it. Jaune could only imagine the number of people out there who would be thankful to have a proper bed to sleep on. To have a safe place to sleep at night.

His mind once again drifted to the twins. How safe was it, really?

Jaune shrugged. "Was worth a shot. Thanks anyway."

Junior grunted again. "You get your situation sorted out then. Clean it. Decorate it. I don't really care what you do with the place as long as it doesn't cost me any lien. Sound good?"

It was a fair offer. More than fair, and more than he had been expecting when he was given the room. "Yeah. Very good."

The man nodded. "Good. Now then, the reason I asked is because one of these days I'm going to need to know what you're capable of."

Capable of? As in more cooking? Was he to be the fulltime chef here? While it was certainly an honor to be offered such a position, Jaune knew for a fact that he was not qualified for the job. His simple breakfast may have impressed him too much.

A hint of uncertainty crept into Jaune's voice. "I appreciate it, but do you really think I'm ready for something like that?"

Junior gave him a puzzled look in return. "That's the whole reason I brought you on in the first place. I'm undermanned and I need some muscle. I thought you understood that."

Reality hit Jaune harder than the hangover from a couple nights ago had. Of course Junior had meant muscle. Jaune felt a touch of embarrassment in his cheeks, and hoped the other man would not realize there had been a misunderstanding.

"Right," Jaune agreed. "So what do you want me to do?"

Jaune saw Junior look up and behind him. He could only assume it was up at the girls. "You have Aura and some training. That already puts you above all my boys as far as I'm concerned. You wouldn't prove too much by going up against them."

Well, that was up for debate. It was true that Jaune had gone up against a couple of them on the night he and Ruby had foiled that dust shop robbery. However only one of them had actually engaged Jaune head-on. Truthfully Jaune didn't know just how capable he was compared to them. However he was not about to tell Junior that he already had experience against them.

"Okay," he said simply.

"So once you get settled in I'm going to need you to take on one of the girls," Junior explained. "How well you fair against them will tell me what you're capable of and where I can use you."

The thought of fighting against Melanie or Miltia, even if it was only a spar, did not sit well with Jaune. These were the same girls which Junior had once implied could have killed him. He didn't know if the man had been serious at the time, however he was not too eager to find out.

With that idea in mind Jaune spoke again. "Are you sure? I could always go up against one of your other guys."

Junior dismissed the idea with a wave. "They're shit," he said plainly. "You have huntsman training. Unless that was a lie too just like the rest of your transcripts."

Jaune frowned at those words. Yes, some of his transcripts had been a lie. His training was not. While he may not have been the most skilled fighter out there, he had taken every one of his father's lessons to heart. If only he had been better. Then his father would have continued training him. He could have gone to Signal Academy. He could have gone to Beacon. He could have been with Ruby and Yang.

A small, competitive fire was lit in his belly with all of the thoughts in his head. "No, that part was true," he argued.

Junior shrugged. "Fair enough. All the more reason for you to fight one of the girls."

He didn't want to. He could still recall the long, savage looking claws that Miltia had worn on her wrists the night they had met for the first time. Being on the receiving end of those was an experience which he could only imagine would be unpleasant. He couldn't recall what weapons Melanie had been armed with that night, but he expected that they would be just as dangerous to deal with as her sister's.

However if it had to be done then it had to be done. He had agreed to take this job after all. Getting kicked out onto the street for being of no use to Junior would only result in him having to go home.

He took a deep breath and nodded in agreement. "Alright. Sure."

The man opposite him leaned in a little, lowering his voice as he spoke. "If I were you I'd try to get Miltia to be the one to spar," he said.

Even with his limited time spent with the twins, Jaune understood why Junior had made the suggestion. "Yeah," he whispered, a hint of fear in his voice. "Thanks."

Junior moved back and nodded. "Good. Now that that's settled I want you to take the rest of the day to get your room in order. Real work is coming soon. Enjoy the rest while you can."

Jaune nodded. Real work. Bouncer work, perhaps. Or maybe more cooking. Whatever the case was he would be ready.

* * *

This wasn't how it was supposed to be.

"How am I supposed to sleep with _that_ hanging over my head?"

Things had started out so well.

"I'll be lucky if it even lasts one night before it crashes down on me. Where did you even find that rope?"

It had taken only a few days for it to all fall apart.

Ruby sat in her dorm atop one of the bottom beds of her team's crudely designed bunk beds. A few feet away her partner, Weiss Schnee, paced back and forth giving her a lecture on safety and proper sleeping conditions. She wished that it had been the first lecture she had received from the white-haired girl. Sadly it was not.

Things had indeed started out well enough. After a chance encounter in the Emerald Forest, Ruby had found herself unexpectedly partnered with the girl who she would later find out was the heiress to the Schnee Dust Company. That was so cool! It was almost like being partnered with a celebrity. Weiss herself had been skeptical of being partnered with someone two years younger than her, and had wondered how she had gotten into Beacon Academy in the first place. In the end the older girl had convinced herself that Ruby must be some sort of prodigy and would give things a chance.

That lasted all of two days before the girl changed her tune completely.

So what if Ruby enjoyed making the occasional doodle in class? Yang found them hilarious. And it wasn't as if Professor Port actually had stink lines emanating from his body. That was just part of her artistic interpretation. However Weiss had not appreciated it. Not one bit. After class Ruby had received a stern talking to about respecting one's superiors and paying attention in class. Weiss had told her how she refused to have her partner lowering her own standing in Beacon by having bad grades and being labeled as some sort of class clown.

It hadn't ended there. From her artistic expression, to her eating habits, to the design of their dorm room, Weiss loved to criticize. She loved to talk down to the girl who was her partner and leader. Weiss certainly did not treat her like a leader. If anything the heiress acted like she was the leader of Team RWBY. There were times where Ruby wished that she was.

Being named the leader of the team had been an amazing and most unexpected experience. Now, however, after having dealt with the pressures and expectations which came with it she was beginning to doubt herself. It was more than just Weiss, however. There was also the issue of Blake distancing herself from both Yang and the team as a whole. How were they supposed to operate as a team when half of the members were either missing in action or were bossy enough to make people mistake her as the leader?

Ruby sighed and brought a hand up to her head. She wished Jaune was here right now. He wouldn't have lectured her like this. He wouldn't have abandoned his team on a daily basis at the first opportunity.

The movement seemingly garnered the other girl's attention, as Weiss put her lecture on hold and spun to look at Ruby. "Have you begun your assignment for Dr. Oobleck's class yet?"

The one which had just been assigned today? The one that she had the entire weekend to work on? "No, not yet," Ruby admitted. She didn't believe it would be a problem. It wasn't due until Monday.

"I'd like you to start on that tonight," Weiss all but ordered. "With the entire weekend to work on it there's absolutely no reason it should not be perfect and ready to hand in on Monday morning."

Since when was Weiss her mother? Ruby frowned, her knees squirming a little bit as they pressed together while she sat. She wanted to say something, but that would likely only make things worse. It would probably be best to just stay quiet and ride out the storm. The last thing she needed was another lecture from Weiss on how she needed to take her assignments seriously.

Her mind wandered off as Weiss picked up where she had left off in her bunk bed rant. As the girl began to once more talk about the need for a good night's sleep in order to keep their bodies and minds in peak condition, Ruby wondered what things would have been like had she found a different partner. What if it had been Yang like she had initially planned? Sure, Yang was still on her team right now, but they weren't partners. Had Yang been her partner then she was certain that the wrath of the Schnee girl would have been focused more on Blake than herself. Perhaps Weiss would have been able to get the dark-haired girl to actually spend time in their dorm and act like a real teammate.

That, or the two girls would tear each other apart.

Then there was Jaune. She wished there hadn't been a problem with his transcripts. What if he had been on their team instead of either Weiss or Blake? It would be an improvement in either case to have a friend with her instead of a stranger. She wondered what he was doing right now. It had only been around a day since she had last spoken to him. Had he gone home by now? Was he going to forget all about her? The thought of that made her feel worse than she already did right now.

"I'm going to go and wash my hair now," Weiss said, her rant seemingly over. "I'd like to look over your progress on the homework when I get out. Okay?"

Yep. Weiss was definitely acting like a mother. At least she assumed that's how it was. Ruby's mother had passed away when she was young, too young to have homework of any sort to worry about. However if her experiences with her father were anything to go by, she was certain that Summer would have been just as insistent to look over her homework before she handed it in the next day.

"Yeah, sure," Ruby agreed. She just didn't want to start another argument.

Weiss nodded, her expression neutral. "Good. I won't be long. A half hour, perhaps."

Thirty minutes to wash her hair? A hand drifted up to touch her own red locks. Her hair was short, sure, but even if it had been as long as Weiss' it surely wouldn't take that long to wash it. Right? Or did the heiress know some sort of super secret technique to make it look as good as it did? Honestly she was surprised that Weiss and Yang hadn't bonded yet over their mutual love and care for their hair.

As Weiss closed the washroom door Ruby fell backwards onto the mattress. She didn't know what to do. Yeah, she could stand up for herself, but she didn't want to expand the already existing rifts in the team. Maybe if she could just impress Weiss enough then she would accept her as the leader of the team. Maybe Weiss would begin to trust her. Respect her.

One thing that Ruby did know was that she couldn't turn to Yang for help. Yang was thankfully not in the room at the moment. It wasn't that her sister wouldn't help. The problem was that she would help. In all the wrong ways. She would become extremely defensive and protective of her baby sister, always siding with her on everything and finding no fault in her actions. That was as much of a problem as Weiss finding faults in everything she did. Yang could not be unbiased. Yang would likely only make things worse in spite of her best intentions.

Her eyes drifted over to her scroll. She didn't want to talk to her father about it either. He would likely have a similar reaction as Yang. That, and he was just so _old_! He didn't understand the problems that a teenager like her went through.

She couldn't talk to any of her friends from Signal either. They wouldn't understand. In fact they might even get jealous. She was already two years ahead of them on their career paths. The idea of them believing that she was in over her head and couldn't handle the pressure didn't sit well with Ruby.

Picking the device up she began to look through her list of contacts hoping that a name would pop out at her. One in fact did. It had been the very first name on the alphabetically sorted list. Arc.

Could she ask him for advice? Did she dare talk to him about her issues at Beacon when he had been forced to leave before he even began? Would that be too cruel? But they were friends. Surely he would understand, right?

Ruby sat there with the scroll in her hand, uncertain of what she should do. However the sound of running water coming from the other room made her decision for her. She could make her decision later. Right now it would probably be best if she started her assignment so that she would have something to show Weiss.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** As always, thank you to everyone for your continued interest in the story. Your kind words mean so much and I really appreciate them.

So Ruby and Weiss actually met for the first time during initiation. I know I didn't show their interactions, but I really do hate retelling canon events and avoid it when I can. The difference is a result of Ruby not bumping into Weiss on the first day, since she already had Jaune as a friend after Yang abandoned her. As a result there was no late night argument before initiation, and no existing bad blood between the girls once they were partnered up. Weiss is becoming annoyed with Ruby's bad habits, but since there was no pre-existing hatred she feels she has to guide and fix Ruby rather than wish she wasn't in Beacon in the first place.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. It's really more focused on setting up future events, but hopefully it was a good read nonetheless.

Questions comments or concerns? Let me know. As always I'll answer questions if I'm able to.


	8. Chapter 8

Dead man walking. Or at least that was how Jaune felt as he walked through the long and empty corridors of Junior's club.

It wasn't the job that made him nervous. On the contrary, over the past several days he had grown more accustomed to his designated roles in the club. More often than not he was plugged into the spot where he was needed most at the moment. Sometimes he cooked some meals. Sometimes he assisted with the restoration process. Sometimes he was just stuck doing all of the dirty jobs that no one else wanted to do. All in all he didn't mind it much. He had a place to stay and food to eat, and he didn't have to pay for any of it.

However that was not the real reason he was here. It was all a front. A cover. An excuse. He was hired to be muscle. Now came the time to see what he was made of.

Jaune could still hardly believe just how much the old apartment complex had to offer. The bottom half was a night club. The top floor had intact residential rooms. The place even had a gym. He had not been there yet, but that would all change soon enough. Junior had sent him there, informing Jaune that the twins were getting some training in. The man had told Jaune that it was time to test his skills. There would be no better opponents than one of the girls.

He remembered Junior's words from the other day well. If possible, fight Miltia. However, Jaune wondered if she would truly be a better opponent than Melanie. He didn't know what the longer-haired girl's weapons were, but he remembered the savage looking curved claws of Miltia all too well. Probably as long and sharp as a Nevermore's talons, he knew that they would be able to rend both his clothes and flesh with ease.

The thought was cast from his mind as he approached the door to the makeshift gym, and the faint sounds of combat could be heard from inside. With his heart thumping inside his chest he laid his hand on the handle. After a deep breath he pushed the door open and stepped inside.

It wasn't like any gym he had ever seen before. There were no weight machines, no benches, no equipment. It was simply an empty room with mats on the floor. A few full length mirrors adorned one of the walls, likely so that the girls would be able to ensure that they were in proper form while training. Other than this minor detail, it was a rather unimpressive place. It was the first time Jaune could remember having such a thought about the club since he had first arrived.

The room need not be impressive, however, as his eyes were drawn to the other two people inside it. Melanie and Miltia both stood near the center of the mats, neither wearing what he had come to learn were their favorite dresses, and instead opting to wear tight, nearly matching workout attire. The black pants each wore left little to the imagination in the curves department, while the white and red tank tops each girl wore respectively hugged their slender waists and modest busts flatteringly.

Jaune felt his mind beginning to wander and shook his head. _Not now, brain,_ he mentally chastised. He closed his eyes for a brief moment and took another deep breath. _Focus on the fight. Just the fight._

When his eyes opened again he saw the girls moving once more. Each strike was countered perfectly by her opponent. A punch from Miltia was blocked or sidestepped by her sister. A kick from Melanie was dodged in turn. Blow after blow was exchanged and not a single one was landed as each girl dodged and weaved out of the way of the strikes. In a way it was more like some sort of choreographed dance than it was a fight. An act that the two had worked at for years to be in perfect sync. There was a certain fluidity to the action that Jaune was certain he had only seen in action movies.

He finally got a look at what Melanie's weapon was, however. On her white knee-high boots were a pair of cruel looking blades, one attached to each heel. The way she fought with them, lifting her legs up high enough to be able to block and counter Miltia's own wrist-mounted claws, was amazing. The girl had flexibility for sure.

Looking down at his own blue jeans he suddenly felt overdressed. He did not have training attire like the two girls did. These were just his normal clothes. Ones which offered far less flexibility than the stretchy pants that the twins wore. He sincerely hoped that they would not be ruined in his upcoming spar.

After a couple of minutes of watching the action both girls finally relented. With some unspoken word the Malachite twins stepped back, lowering their weapons and allowing themselves a moment to catch their breath. Both looked tired, and both had a visible amount of sweat covering their arms and faces. Miltia turned and went over to grab one of the towels which lay on the mats near one of the walls.

Melanie meanwhile spun on her heels which saw her facing Jaune. Despite being visibly out of breath her eyes sparkled like gemstones, giving off a mischievous aura about herself in place of her usual smirk. "Like what you saw?" she asked suddenly.

He had to admit that he did. Their fight was more akin to a dance performance than actual combat. "Yeah. You two were amazing. I've never seen a fight like that before."

A small frown crossed the girl's lips before she sighed. "Not what I meant."

If Jaune didn't know any better he'd say that she sounded disappointed. "Huh? What are you talking about?"

"Ignore her," the voice of Miltia said as she approached him. She held a towel in both hands, gently dabbing and wiping the sweat from her neck and face. "So what's up?"

"Oh, right," Jaune said as he looked down to Crocea Mors strapped at his left hip. "Junior sent me here to get some training in. He thinks it'd be a good idea if I fight-"

"Dibs," Melanie said suddenly.

Jaune was taken aback. His head snapped back over to the other girl, who began walking to stand at her sister's side. "What?" he asked.

"I call dibs," she explained. "You and me. Right here, right now."

 _If I were you I'd try to get Miltia to be the one to spar._ The words echoed in Jaune's mind. If he didn't act quickly then Junior's warning would be for nothing.

He looked back and forth between both girls for a moment. Miltia's own expression seemed neutral, her own eyes drawn to where her sister stood beside her. Melanie on the other hand had all of her attention focused entirely on him, her gleaming eyes looking as eager as he had ever seen them.

Deciding that he could not outright reject the proposition, Jaune attempted to work around it logically. "Sure, that sounds alright," he offered. He noticed how Melanie was still coated in a slick sheet of sweat, however. "But, uh, Miltia looks a little less tired. Don't you think it would be a good idea if-"

"Nope," Melanie grinned, cutting him off. "I'm fine."

Well so much for that.

Jaune looked back over to Miltia, who looked back at him this time. The girl gave a light shrug of her shoulders as if to say that there was nothing she could do about it. In reality it was the truth. Jaune had grown up in a household where his parents couldn't always be around to look after him and his siblings all the time. There were times when it was he and his sisters who made the rules and passed the laws. In his experience the process of calling dibs was one such law that few could challenge. He wondered if that also applied to the Malachite twins, or if Miltia simply did not care enough to challenge her sister's claim.

"Alright, if you say so," Jaune said reluctantly as he removed his sheathed blade from his belt. He moved over to one of the edges of the mats as he did so before turning back around to face the girls. "But really, if you need to take a rest before we do this that's fine with me."

Melanie twirled around to face him, a look of earnest appreciation on her face. "Aw, I'm touched that you care so much," she cooed. The look quickly vanished as her true feelings came out, however. "But like I said before, I'm fine."

Meanwhile Miltia had gone over to stand against one of the walls, her towel hung over her shoulders where she still occasionally used a corner of it on her forehead and neck. The long and vicious claws still adorned her wrists, and there was a part of Jaune that was thankful he would not have to face them. How bad could heel-mounted blades be, after all?

Across the room from him he saw Melanie begin to do a few stretches of her arms and legs. He decided that he would do the same, though in his current attire any stretching of his legs was out of the question. He really needed to go out and buy something light and loose if he was to do this on a regular basis.

"Don't go easy on me 'cause I'm such a pretty face," Melanie said. Jaune looked up to see one of her arms stretched across her chest, pinned down in place by the other. "I won't," she finished with a taunting smile.

Of that he was certain. In the past few days of his employment here he had learned that Melanie was always in the mood to mess with him. It was never cruel or harmful, outside of the one time she had gotten him drunk. In all honesty it was the same level of taunting and teasing that he would get from his older sisters. Except that the topics Melanie sometimes covered were the sorts he would never hear from his own blood.

"I'll keep that in mind," he replied, mirroring her own stretching pose. The action caused her eyes to narrow, as if he had just called her bluff in a poker game.

In response Melanie lifted a leg behind her body, bending the knee in the process and grabbing hold of the tip of her boot with her fingers. Her eyes remained locked on his the entire time, as if telling him to try and copy this pose too.

Jaune knew he could not. He didn't even care either. He was just too impressed by the way that she could not only bend like this, but that she could hold her balance as well. _I've seen professional ice skaters less flexible than this!_ his mind screamed.

Likely satisfied that he would not be able to match her with that stretch, Melanie lowered her leg back to the ground before she spoke. "So I showed you mine," she said casually. "How about you show me yours?"

Jaune didn't know what she was talking about, but he couldn't help but think that it was some sort of sexual remark to try and fluster him. "Show you my what?" he asked carefully.

"Your weapon, duh," she explained as she pointed a finger down to the boot on the leg she had just stretched.

Oh. Well that was better than expected. He dared not show any sort of relief on his body or face that would tip her off to what he had truly thought.

Still holding the sheathed sword in his left hand, Jaune ripped Crocea Mors out of its scabbard with his right, the scraping sound of steel on steel filling the room. The blade lit up, gleaming as if it was freshly forged and polished in the bright light from the ceiling.

A moment later he pressed a button on the sheath to activate its true form, the sides fanning out to create a large and heavy heater shield. The twin golden crescents of the Arc family sigil adorned the white steel, giving off the faint aura of nobility and heroism from the boy who longed to be spoken of in the same way as his ancestors.

"Wow, it gets bigger when you push on it?" she asked, her tone not quite matching the question posed. If Melanie was impressed by the image or the transformation she didn't show it. "Compensating for something else?"

There it was, the innuendo he had been expecting. He didn't rise to the bait, however.

"I'll take that silence as a yes," she continued.

Jaune frowned this time. Before he could comment though, a thought entered his mind. "Hold on a sec," he said before switching Crocea Mors into his left hand. With his free one he dug into the pocket of his jeans. After fishing out his scroll he gently tossed it over to the padded section of the floor where Miltia stood. It bounced a couple of times before it lay still and unharmed. The girl in black and red looked down at it uninterestedly for a moment before her gaze returned to him.

"Good call," Melanie said as she took a few steps forward. "I'd hate to have broken your scroll when you're just a poor little stray. Right, Miltia?"

"Whatever," the other girl replied sharply.

Jaune didn't quite know what to make of that exchange, but he knew that he had to keep his thoughts on the fight. He couldn't let himself become distracted. It was just a spar, and he was in no danger, but he was here to show what he could do. It would not make a good impression on Junior if he was to be taken out in a few seconds.

He advanced with his shield up, close to his chest and covering it along with the bottom portion of his face. In his right hand gripped Crocea Mors tightly, also held close to his body and tip pointed out toward Melanie. His body was slightly angled to the left, his feet spread shoulder width apart. It was the stance that his father had taught him so long ago.

It was odd facing off against an opponent who was unarmed. Or at least appeared to be unarmed. He had no doubt that the blades which adorned Melanie's heels were as sharp as his sword. However the fact that their use was in such a limited fashion made him think that he had a natural advantage. He knew that he could not think like this though. Being overconfident was the first step on the road to defeat.

Melanie's own unburdened arms were brought up in a classic fighting stance, protecting her torso and face from the threat of attacks. How she planned on using them in order to block or deflect the strikes of his blade was beyond him.

"So," she said casually as she inched closer towards him. "Is this what you thought it'd be like?"

His eyes were focused on her own. They glanced down to her hands and feet for split seconds at a time. At any part of her which could betray where she would attempt to strike from.

"Thought what would be like?" he replied. He squeezed the handle of Crocea Mors tighter for a moment before relaxing his grip.

"Beacon," she stated simply. The accompanying smile told him all he needed to know about her intent. "Training at a fancy huntsman school."

He didn't answer. How could he, even if he wanted to? In the end though, he knew what this was. _She's trying to distract you_ , he told himself. _Don't let her get inside your head._

Her foot flinched, and he reacted in kind with his shield. Seeing his reaction to her feint made Melanie grin as she backed off a step. "Did I hit a nerve?" she asked. "Or are you just shy during a fight? I know sometimes it's hard for a guy to perform under pressure."

Both. Though he wouldn't admit that she had indeed struck a nerve. As for the part about fighting, he had only had one proper fight in his life a couple of weeks ago. He could not remember the specifics of training with his father and if they had made small talk during it. Any speaking they might have done would have gone toward correcting Jaune's form or asking questions about a certain technique or exercise. Exchanging witty banter had not been part of the lesson plan.

The girl continued to shuffle slightly back and forth, side to side, as she slowly made her way towards him. Was this how she actually fought? Or was she merely toying with him?

Her eyes narrowed at him as they continued their dance. Not the same kind that she had had with Miltia only minutes earlier, but a subtle and graceful sequence of movements nonetheless. "It's like, rude not to answer someone when they ask you a question," she stated with a hint of annoyance in her voice.

He shot a breath through his nose. "Then maybe you should ask-"

In a flash her right foot moved, bringing her leg up high enough to strike him in his exposed temple. She would have succeeded had he not brought his shield up at the last possible second, the surprisingly strong and hard boot of the girl smashing into it and sending a painful vibration all the way down his arm.

The moment he lowered the shield to get a look at the girl his eyes widened. She was fast. Amazingly fast. Already Melanie was in the middle of her second attack, this time succeeding in hitting him in his now exposed left knee. The blow stung, and he could only imagine how bad it would have been had the bladed heel hit him instead of the top of her boot. He was sent staggering back regardless, his body and mind stunned at just how agile she was. How had someone actually gotten the better of both her and Miltia?

With a larger distance between the two of them now it appeared that Melanie had dropped her guard, her hands lowering to rest on her hips. "Is that all you've got, little huntsman?" she sneered. "I thought you wanted to be the big hero like your daddy."

Jaune inhaled sharply before letting it out slowly. _Don't fall for that_ , he reminded himself. _She's screwing with you again._ He had already let her inside of his head once. The very act of speaking to her had caused him to lose focus. Even being a little bit off could make all the difference.

His eyes remained locked on her and his expression grim. She wanted to talk. She wanted him to talk. She wanted to tease and taunt him. She wanted to force him into making a mistake. Into giving her control. He was not about to do that.

Taking the initiative this time, Jaune crept forward, shield still up and blade ready to lash out. Melanie brought her hands back up in what was almost a boxing posture, moving ever so slightly as she bounced lightly on the tips of her feet. Her own face had lost its mask of arrogance as it was clear that she was not about to earn a similar reaction to what she had before. _Yeah you'd better take this seriously. Let's see how you handle a little offense._

Crocea Mors stabbed outward, the strike being easily deflected as Melanie brought a bladed boot up, the sound of steel on steel ringing in his ears. But this had been Jaune's own feint, and a moment later he punched out with his shield, smashing into the arms which Melanie had brought up to guard her face. He hadn't hit his target, but the soft grunt which slipped from her lips was enough to let him know that it had at least made an impact. Aura or not, getting struck by blunt force would hurt at least a little bit.

The victory was short-lived however, as Melanie redoubled her efforts and went on the offensive once more. The girl unleashed a flurry of kicks, somehow managing to maintain her balance on one leg as she swung into him time and time again. The first few strikes made contact with his shield, Jaune having to work overtime in order to fend off each attempted blow. Then out of nowhere, as if she had been expecting him to become complacent in his defense, Melanie switched her leg of attack and struck at his sword arm. Jaune felt Melanie's blade scrape into his exposed flesh, and it was only because of his Aura that he was not sporting a six inch long gash on the top of his hand.

Jaune staggered backwards upon being struck so solidly, and decided he had to regroup. The assault had become quicker and fiercer by the moment. He knew that he had the advantage in protection thanks to his shield, and he knew that he had to use it to its fullest. To allow Melanie to control the pace of the fight was to play into her hands as much as giving into her taunting was. He had to slow things down.

As if on cue the girl opened her mouth once more. "Getting tired already?" she asked, noting how he had been the one to disengage from the spar. "We're just getting started."

The words would have been more effective had there not been a line of sweat coming down her forehead. That, and if her own breath had not been a little heavy in her words. Obviously it was a result of her earlier spar with Miltia, but still ammo he could use to counter her claim. He had grown up with seven sisters. He had experience in waging a war of words too.

"You're the one who's sweating," he nodded back to her. "You sure you don't need a break?"

That sly smirk of hers returned as she flipped a clump of her raven locks back over her shoulder with a flick of her hand. "Please, I've got stamina for days," she said confidently. Her head tilted slightly and her smile turned coy. "How about you, boy toy?"

More innuendo. More posturing. It would be so very satisfying to beat her here. As long as he played by his rules he believed he stood a chance.

Jaune moved in once more. He had to control the pace, and that meant being the one on offense. Make her react to his moves rather than the other way around. If he could do that then perhaps he could force her off balance and knock her to the ground. She relied on her legs for nearly all of her offense and defense. Getting her off her feet was the key to victory.

Each swipe and stab of Crocea Mors was met with a raised leg from the girl opposite him, but he was fine with this. If Melanie was defending that meant she could not attack. That gave him time and opportunity to spot a weakness. An opening. He would wipe that smug little smile off of her face once and for all.

He pushed in more and more, each step he took forcing her back little by little until they neared one of the walls. Soon she would have nowhere to go and it would all be over. Maybe he didn't even need to get her off her feet. Melanie's speed and agility would be of no use if she was backed into a corner, and his defense would be too solid for her to break through. Despite not landing a single hit on her in his sequence of attacks he still had the advantage. A war of attrition was one that he was bound to win simply by the virtue of his shield.

Jaune briefly glanced behind the girl, judging her current distance from the wall before his eyes locked onto her once more. "You're running out of room," he said, hoping to turn the tables on her. Maybe she would finally know what it was like to have her head messed with during a fight.

If Melanie was concerned she did not show it, nor did she spare a look behind her to confirm how close she was to the wall. Instead she kept her piercing green eyes focused on him. "Then do something about it," she shot back.

Very well. He had worked himself into an advantageous position and now it was time to end it.

One more thrust with his sword would be enough to send her crashing against the wall, pinning her in place and taking away all of her mobility. It was exactly what Jaune moved to do. Crocea Mors lashed out again, intent on striking the girl's torso, but it did not connect. Before it could Melanie fell backwards, seemingly losing her footing as Jaune had originally intended to happen. It was not the case, however.

Melanie had ducked out of the way of the strike, landing on her hands in a controlled fall backwards as Crocea Mors thrust into nothing but the air above her chest. At the same time a bladed heel swung upward, striking Jaune under his chin with the speed and fury of a thunderbolt. His head snapped backwards, and it took all of his strength and will not to fall back himself. Only for him it would have been an uncontrolled and unwanted fall.

Shaking his head clear, still dazed and trying to process what had just happened, Jaune saw how Melanie wasted no time in going on the offensive once more. Kick after kick slammed into him, and it was amazing how someone with such a tiny frame could produce so much power. He was losing now. His head still swam from the blow to his chin, and at the moment he could not bring his shield up in time in order to deflect even half of the blows. He had to do something. He had to get her away from him.

With no sense of self-preservation he lashed out with his shield once more. In doing so he had exposed himself to attack, and Melanie took the opportunity to exploit the opening and delivered another staggering kick into his midsection. It expelled the air from his lungs, and the hit would have forced most people to abandon their own attack. However Jaune's arm was already in motion. His shield swung up and sideways, the top edge of it connecting with the girl's face. The cry of pain it elicited from her was an unusual and unsatisfying sound to hear. But it had done the trick, and Melanie backed off despite having the clear advantage over him.

She brought a hand up to her face before looking down at it to check for any blood. When she saw none she glared up at him. "I can't believe you just hit a girl like that."

Jaune opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. His shoulders slumped slightly at the girl's words. His sword and shield lowered as he looked at her. "I-"

He never had a chance to finish his thought as Melanie's leg moved and twisted. Her comment had thrown him off guard. Not for long, but long enough. The next thing he knew was his head hitting the mat with a dull thud, and his vision was filled with nothing but the ceiling.

* * *

Well, that happened.

Miltia stood leaning against the wall, her arms crossed over her chest, as she witnessed Jaune falling down in a crumpled heap. He hit the floor like a sack of potatoes, his grip on his sword and shield gone as they too clattered next to him on the mats.

It had been over in an instant. The sudden roundhouse kick Melanie had sent into the side of Jaune's head made Miltia wince the moment it connected. The audible crack of boot on skull had filled the room. It would be a hard and painful reminder to him about not letting his guard down.

Miltia walked over closer to the action as Melanie bent down before straddling Jaune's waist. The girl grabbed Jaune by the front of his hoodie to lift his head up slightly.

He was still breathing. That was good. Miltia never doubted for a moment that he was still alive, but seeing it was still a relief after the boot to the side of the head that he had just taken. He was also still apparently conscious. Maybe he did have some stamina after all.

Melanie was still panting hard from the physical exertion at she loomed over Jaune. "What the fuck did I tell you the night we first met?"

Jaune blinked hard, his teeth grit together as he struggled to gather his thoughts. He didn't respond with words, only pained gasps and breaths as he brought a hand up to rub his head.

"I'm not your damsel in distress," she answered for him when it was clear that he was not about to do so. She glared down at him still, not moving from atop his lap as if to make a point. To show her power. Her dominance. "You think just 'cause I'm a girl that I can't take a hit? I've fought other blonde bitches who were a lot tougher than you."

Miltia frowned at the mention of the girl from a couple of weeks ago. However what Melanie had said was true. The chick with the fiery hair was a lot tougher than Jaune was. Even then she and her sister had gotten back up. It would take a lot more than that to keep Melanie and Miltia Malachite down.

"I'm not some fucking weakling," Melanie continued. There was anger in her voice. She held onto his hoodie in a tight grip. "So don't treat me like one!"

" _Melanie_ ," Miltia hissed.

The girl in question looked over to see her sister standing a few feet away. Miltia's hands were on her hips as she looked down at the pair of combatants, a look of clear displeasure on her face.

Melanie shook her head softly. "Whatever," she said as her tone softened.

Long seconds of silence passed, and Jaune himself made no attempts to try and remove the offending girl from his body. He was likely still trying to unscramble his brain from the savage blow it had just suffered. It truly was remarkable he was not out cold.

With one hand occupying his hoodie, Melanie used the other to lightly tap Jaune's cheek a few times in order to try and gain his attention. "You still with me?" she asked.

Jaune nodded slightly, his eyes closed and teeth still slightly clenched. "Yeah," he managed to get out.

"Good." Melanie lowered her head a little more, her tone lowering in turn as she spoke to him. "Lesson one, my little huntsman. There's no such thing as a fair fight."

This had been a prime example of such a lesson. Aside from the obvious taunting and mind games, Melanie had preyed on his values. He was an idealistic boy with dreams of becoming a huntsman. There may have been some misguided sense of honor and duty in his mind when it came to the job, but out on the streets no such thing existed.

Apparently Jaune knew that now as he nodded in response to the statement. "Yeah," he agreed. "I got it."

"You don't give a fuck whether it's a guy or a girl," she continued. "It doesn't matter who you're fighting. You fight to win or else you're going to die. You do whatever it takes. Got it?"

He nodded once more. "Yeah."

"I could kill you right now and what could you do to stop me? Nothing. All because I told you that you hit a girl. Like that even fucking matters."

It was a harsh lesson. It was a harsh way of putting it too, but the fact of the matter was that Melanie could indeed kill Jaune where he lay right now. He was disarmed, injured, and in a position of severe disadvantage compared to the girl who sat above him.

It had taken a little while, but Jaune pushed himself up with his arms, his head and torso slightly up now as he looked to the girl still pinning him to the ground. "I got it," he said, a little more authority in his voice this time, confirming that he was indeed beginning to come to his senses. "You think you could get off me now?"

Melanie brought her face closer to his. "What's wrong? Being this close to a girl make you uncomfortable?"

"No."

A few seconds of silence passed between the two before a small smile formed on the girl's lips. "Huh, look at that. It really does get bigger when you push on it."

Melanie stood up, using his chest to push off of with her hands as she did so. Jaune continued lying on the floor for another moment before picking himself up. His stance was a little wobbly at first, but he found his balance soon enough.

After grabbing a towel the elder Malachite turned to look at her sister. "You want a go with him next?" she asked. "He didn't last very long with me."

Miltia scoffed. "Please. As if I want your sloppy seconds."

Her sister shrugged. "Suit yourself."

It wouldn't have been worth it even if it wasn't Melanie who he had just finished fighting. She didn't know what his Aura level was at right now, but after taking so many hits from Melanie, including two particularly harsh ones, she had to imagine that it was low. The last thing she wanted to do now was actually injure the boy. Not when this was supposed to be a controlled training exercise.

Jaune was collecting his equipment now. The shield he had used fairly effectively in combat shrunk back down into a scabbard and was soon once more home to the elegant looking blade he used as his primary weapon. It was interesting. The weapon bore more similarities to the blades that she and her sister used rather than what she thought was the stereotypical weapons of a huntsman. Miltia frowned at the thought. _He's not a huntsman,_ she reminded herself. _And he never will be._

Junior was the only huntsman she had ever truly known, and from what he had told her they pretty much all used some sort of dual-purpose weapon that had both ranged and close quarters combat abilities. However as a girl who used a pair of claws she was not about to say that a simple sword was ineffective. Sometimes keeping things simple was the best way of doing them.

Miltia walked over closer to Jaune when she saw that he had brought a hand up to his left temple once more. While she had never been on the receiving end of one of Melanie's high kicks she could imagine what it must have felt like. "You alright?" she asked.

Jaune nodded, a small and disarming smile on his lips as he looked at her. "Yeah," he said, his voice still not entirely free of pain. "Thanks."

"You did good," she continued. Maybe the outcome hadn't been ideal, but he had lasted longer than any of Junior's goons would have. At least that was something. "Me and Melanie have been doing this for years. You shouldn't feel bad."

A soft chuckle slipped through his lips. "Yeah, tell that to my skull."

At least the blow hadn't damaged his sense of humor. That was good.

Miltia smiled as well, her eyes drifting away from him as she looked over to the side. "At least you learned something. That's like, important and stuff."

He nodded again, the smile still present. "Yeah..." He sighed, running a hand through unkempt blonde hair before looking down to his feet. "I think I'm gonna go grab a shower now. Getting my butt kicked around on the floor got me kinda dirty." He paused as he sniffed for dramatic effect. "And smelly."

She didn't want to confirm or deny the statement he had made, so she merely nodded in acknowledgement. "Go for it."

He left the room, once more leaving her and Melanie alone. The girl in black and white was still busy wiping her face clear of the sweat which had accumulated on it after two fights.

Miltia turned to her twin, walking closer to her as she spoke. "You were kinda hard on him."

Melanie looked up, a slight smirk gracing her lips. "Actually he was the one getting hard on me at the end."

Green eyes narrowed at the teasing words. Ones which had ignored her point entirely. "That's not what I meant."

The older twin waved a hand flippantly in response. "Relax, Mil," she said. "Your poor little baby bird came out fine. It's not like I broke his jaw or whatever."

Again with the injured animal comparison. Hard green eyes remained locked on their counterparts, not flinching where most others might have. "I'm talking about what you said after the fight."

The mention of the blonde girl. The insistence that Melanie herself was not weak. She didn't even need to be Melanie's twin to understand why she had said what she had. Or what she was feeling inside.

Melanie's eyes narrowed in turn this time. "So what? He needs to learn what it's like to live in our world if he wants to survive."

She had ignored what Miltia was getting at, but her words were still true nonetheless. Jaune couldn't be in this line of work if he showed weakness to someone out of some stupid sense of chivalry. Melanie had told him as much before the fight had begun. That he shouldn't go easy on her because she's such a pretty face. The words were a taunt on the surface, but they carried far greater weight behind them.

With a soft sigh Miltia had no option but to concede the point. "Whatever," she said, not arguing with her twin.

Melanie pressed onward though. "You said he was too innocent for what we do. You want him to end up dead?"

Of course not. It was a stupid question. One where there was only one answer. One where said answer would justify being hard on Jaune. Training him. Changing him. Taking away that kindness and innocence that he showed when he cooked for them. The way he spoke with them and treated them like the ladies he saw them as rather than the criminals that they were. All for his benefit. For his survival.

Where would that leave him then? He wouldn't be the boy who stumbled into their club and helped her and Melanie back to their feet out of the goodness of his heart. He wouldn't be the same boy who had bandaged her hand for no other reason than she was bleeding. He'd just be another criminal. Another scumbag. Another one of Junior's men.

"Whatever," Miltia repeated.

She knew Melanie had a point. She knew that Melanie knew as well. There was nothing more that could be said.

The buzzing sound which filled her ears brought a formal end to the conversation. Looking around for the source of the sound, Miltia saw that Melanie had the same reaction.

"It's not mine," Melanie said, patting the sides of her pants for effect to show there was nothing in her pockets. "Yours?"

Miltia shook her head. "Nope."

A look of realization formed on her sister's face. She looked over to the mats next to one of the walls. "His scroll?"

The younger twin shrugged. "Must be. Unless he found one of your toys lying around and brought it with."

Melanie's face twisted in anger at the barb. "Shut up," she snarled. Her expression softened quickly afterward, a glint of inspiration in her bright emerald eyes. "And don't even try to tell me that it wouldn't be hot if he _were_ into that kind of thing."

Right now Miltia didn't particularly care to think about what kind of perverted activities that Melanie was imagining that Jaune did in his private time. Instead she stepped over to the mat where he had tossed his scroll and picked it up. Sure enough, it vibrated in her hand, and its screen was lit up with an incoming call.

Melanie moved to stand near her sister, arms folded over her chest. "So who is it, his mom?" she asked teasingly.

Miltia shook her head. "Someone named Ruby Rose."

"Ooh, who's Ruby Rose?" Melanie cooed. "You think boy toy's getting some action on the side? Maybe he's not so innocent after all."

Could he be? His last name was Arc, so it obviously wasn't one of those sisters he had mentioned before. Either way it wasn't any of her business. What he did on his own time, whether it was playing with Melanie's... personal items or having some fun with Ruby Rose was simply none of her business.

Melanie reached out and attempted to grab the scroll. "Come on. Gimmie," she said as a hand grasped open and closed.

Extending an arm to hold her eager sister back, Miltia held the scroll away from her. "We really shouldn't."

The longer-haired girl ceased her attempts at trying to take the scroll by force, but a hand remained on her sister's shoulder as she spoke. "Come on, Miltia," she said. "Don't tell me you're not totally wondering who she is."

She wasn't. She absolutely wasn't. It was none of her business.

"You want to protect him right?" Melanie continued. "What if this Ruby chick is some total slut bag? What if she ends up giving Jaune a disease? It's like, our job to look after him, remember?"

That was priceless coming from the girl who had just smashed his brains in. She knew Melanie was just being nosy. However...

Some tiny twinge of curiosity had been sparked inside of her now as well. Who was Ruby? What was her relationship with him? Why hadn't he ever mentioned her before? Was he hiding her existence from them? If she was important to him shouldn't he have talked about her like he had his parents and sisters?

Still, she could not betray his trust like this. But she knew someone who could. She handed the scroll over to Melanie. Not out of curiosity or jealousy, but out of concern for his well-being. Melanie was right. What kind of name was Ruby Rose anyway? It sounded like an adult entertainer's name. If some skank was trying to-

Her train of thought was cut off when Melanie finally answered the call. "Hey, you've reached Jaune's pants," the girl said happily.

Miltia's brow furrowed as she mouthed a questioning word to her sister.

Melanie brought the scroll down, covering the bottom portion with a hand to try and prevent the other girl from hearing her. "People usually keep their scrolls in their pants," she explained.

Her explanation did nothing to erase Miltia's questioning stare.

The silence only caused Melanie to roll her eyes as she continued. "It was a joke. Get it?"

"Not a very good one."

"Whatever. You suck."

"Says the one with the sucky jokes," Miltia countered.

"Um, I'm still here just so you know," a third voice said.

Both girls looked down to the scroll that Melanie had been keeping at waist level. Only then did they realize that it was a video call, and that the image of a young girl with red and black hair filled the screen.

Melanie brought the device back up, holding it sideways in front of her so that she could get a clear look at the girl. Miltia hovered near her to do the same.

Ruby Rose was indeed a young girl. Younger than them, and certainly younger than Jaune. A pair of silver eyes stared back at them nervously, making it apparent that she was not comfortable with who had answered her scroll call in the place of Jaune.

Melanie had no such issues, however, and smiled as if she was speaking to a friend she had not seen in ages. "So what's up?" she asked casually.

Such familiar behavior clearly didn't sit well with Ruby if the way she fidgeted was any indication. "Is, um, is Jaune there?"

Her voice was so soft and meek. Miltia wouldn't have even needed to see her face to tell how uncomfortable she was in this conversation right now. However the added visual bonus would only spur Melanie on further.

"Nope, sorry," her sister said calmly. "He's in the shower right now."

Ruby blinked. "T-the shower?"

Miltia sighed inwardly. Give Melanie a hint of weakness and she would be all over it like a shark smelling blood. Jaune was beginning to learn this and thus tried to take steps in order to prevent it. Ruby on the other hand had no such defense.

"Yeah," she continued. "I just got done with a little one on one action with him, and he was like, totally covered in sweat." The smile on her sister's face said as much as her words did right now. "Said he needed to take a shower 'cause he was just so dirty."

Ruby's eyes were wide now. For obvious reasons. Even if what Melanie said hadn't been a lie, she had purposefully phrased it to garner the exact kind of reaction that she was getting from the other girl.

"I- I, um," the redhead stuttered, not quite knowing how to respond to Melanie's bold implication.

Melanie put an arm around her sister's shoulder and pulled her close. "He's actually got pretty good stamina, I gotta admit. Me and my sister here are gonna help get him in better shape too, if you know what I mean," she said with a wink.

This poor girl. Miltia didn't know what her relationship with Jaune was, but if her reaction was anything to go by then it wasn't any kind of girlfriend or lover. This realization turned out to be surprisingly comforting. There was no anger or jealousy in Ruby's eyes or voice. If it wasn't for the different surname then Miltia might have thought that she was indeed one of his sisters.

"...I," Ruby squeaked, her voice coming close to hitting a falsetto note as she looked around, her eyes focusing on anything but her scroll right now.

"But we could like, totally take a message and give it to Jaune when he's all clean, if you want."

There was no way Ruby would do that now. The last thing she wanted to do was continue this conversation, much less give the two of them any kind of information to pass onto Jaune.

"Sorry I gotta go now bye!" Ruby said so quickly that the words were nearly unintelligible.

With that the scroll's screen went black once more. Melanie stared down at it for a moment longer before laughter burst from her lips. Her arm relaxed around Miltia's shoulders, and the younger twin pulled away from her sister's embrace.

"That was totally awesome," Melanie exclaimed. "Tell me that wasn't totally worth it."

It had been worth it, in a way. Not that she would ever admit that to her sister.

"Jaune's gonna kill you," Miltia chose to say instead.

"Me? You mean he's gonna kill _us_."

"Us? I didn't do anything."

"No, but you were totes on the screen with me," Melanie explained. "So when Ruby tells Jaune about what happened you think she's gonna say it was one or two girls?"

Miltia's eyes narrowed. Had that been why Melanie pulled her into the conversation? "Bitch."

The insult only caused Melanie to laugh louder. She brought a hand up and slapped it on her sister's shoulder. "Oh come on, don't be mad," she said. "It'll give you two something else to talk about. You can be all, 'Oh Jaune I'm so sorry for what happened. I'll do _anything_ to make it up to you'."

The snickering which followed only increased Miltia's frustration. "You so need to stop laughing at your own jokes."

"Bitch, I'm funny."

"Said no one about you ever."

"Whatever. At least now we know that Ruby Rose is just some kid. Some really fucking shy one too."

Just some kid indeed, and not one in any sort of relationship with Jaune.

Still, Miltia wondered what would happen as a result of this. It was true that what Melanie had done had just been an innocent prank, but they had only known Jaune for a couple of weeks. Were they close enough yet that he would just laugh this off with them as some innocent fun?

Time would tell. Perhaps she would attempt to do some sort of damage control after he got out of the shower. Maybe even assist him in the kitchen sometime as he prepared dinner. It would give her a good opportunity to speak with him in private without her obnoxious twin at her side.

It would also be a chance to give him some ideas about what he could prepare. Something with chocolate in it, perhaps. As much as she enjoyed the breakfasts he made, she missed her chocolate. Her donuts. Her pumpkin spice. But mostly the chocolate. It had been far too long since she had had any.

In any case she needed a shower as well. The spar with Melanie had left her filthy just as it had Jaune. A nice warm shower would give her time to think about what she was going to say to him and how she was going to explain what Melanie did. Things would work out. She truly believed they would. He was far too kind a person to hold this against them for long.

At least, he was a kind person for now.

* * *

 **Author's Note** **:** I know this story's been getting updated a lot more frequently than Letters to Winter lately, but I'm just feelings this one more at the moment. I truly do feel bad, but I have to strike while the iron's hot. If I were to try and force something for the other story I have my fears that the product wouldn't be as good as it could be, and I don't want to do that to you guys. I'd much rather take a little longer and put out something of better quality.

In any case I hope you enjoyed this latest chapter. It was fun to write, and hopefully it was fun to read. As always questions, comments or concerns are greatly appreciated. And as always thank you to everyone for reading and reviewing. Your continued support means so much to me.


	9. Chapter 9

Miltia stifled a yawn as she trudged through the empty room that made up the main attraction of Junior's club. It was beginning to look a lot like her home again. The restoration process was nearly complete. It had taken a few weeks, but the repairs had finally been made. New furniture had arrived. Deliveries had started to come in once more. The grunts were ready to resume their usual roles.

Maybe all of this meant that she would finally be able to start getting her coffee fix once more. It's not that she wasn't grateful for what Jaune did. On the contrary, his skills in the kitchen had been a nice change of pace from the regular foods that were usually waiting for her when she woke up. However there were few things in the world she loved more than chocolate. Chocolate and pumpkin spice lattes. Unless Jaune could learn how to make those her world would never make sense again.

Speaking of Jaune and breakfast, she wondered what he was up to right now. It was around the usual time where he would be in the kitchen doing something. Usually it just happened to coincide with the time where Miltia had just woken up, while Melanie was still sleeping. Now was a chance to be able to speak with him alone. A chance where Melanie would not be there to offer some sort of suggestive comment or throw the conversation off track.

It seemed unusual to the girl that Jaune had not brought up the conversation between her sister and Ruby. A couple of days had passed and he had not acted differently toward them at all. No annoyance. No anger. Not even a hint that he was aware of it happening. It was unusual. She knew he was a kind person and all, but it was odd to just ignore what Melanie had done to someone who was his friend.

Perhaps she would be able to get answers from him. As well as find out what he was making for breakfast today.

As she made her way toward the club's kitchen she heard a few faint sounds coming from within. She figured it had to be him with none of the other members of the staff having reason to be there. Sure enough she spotted the back his shaggy blonde hair as he leaned against a table. Several food items littered the table as well.

Seeing him dressed in his usual jeans and a short-sleeve black shirt made her suddenly feel self conscious. It was a normal thing for her to walk around the club in the sweatpants and tank top she slept in when the place was still closed. After all, Melanie was her sister and Junior was closer to an uncle than a former huntsman who had picked her and her twin up off the streets. The opinions of the lowly grunts did not concern her either. They knew that if they stared or commented then they would be in for a world of hurt. However, where did Jaune fit into this equation?

It was too late to turn back now, seeing how he had turned around when he heard the double doors swoosh open softly as she pushed through into the kitchen. "Hey, Miltia," he greeted with his usual happy tone.

The soft smile on his face was nothing out of the ordinary when he spoke to her. As she had thought before, it was simply business as usual. Like nothing had even taken place following his spar with Melanie.

"Hey," she replied. Her tongue poked the inside of her cheek as she wondered how best to continue. "What's up?"

Not exactly the brightest of questions, as there was only one thing he could be doing in a kitchen. However it would at least continue the conversation. Maybe it would lead to a way to figure out what was going through his mind.

He shrugged. "Nothing much. Just wondering what I should cook today."

Miltia turned her head a little bit to try and peek around his tall body. Standing more than half a foot shorter than Jaune meant that trying to see over him was never an option. Still, she could only make out a couple of the items which sat on the table behind him.

The sight and though of food made her hungry though, and she felt a tiny rumbling in her stomach. "What were you thinking of making?"

"Eh, choices are kinda limited," he said as he waved for her to come over. Miltia did so, walking to stand next to him at the table and overlooking an assortment of ingredients which sat upon it.

Everything there appeared to be in its raw or frozen form. A frown slipped onto her face as she looked over them. What could he really do with this stuff aside from what he had done before?

"A lot of the stuff in the club's freezer is for the kind of stuff you'd find on a bar's menu," he continued. He stopped suddenly and shrugged, a small breath of laughter slipping through his lips as he went on. "At least I think that's what it'd be. Never actually been to a bar or club before coming to this place."

Miltia nodded. Having spent a good portion of her life here she was very familiar with the place's menu. With the variety and quality of fried, salty and greasy snacks it had to offer it was a wonder she and her sister were in as good of shape as they were.

"So we have a lot of things like potatoes to make fries. Or onions for onion rings. Beef for burgers, and other things as burger toppings. I guess the challenge is finding some variety out of it all."

She hummed in understanding. While it was true that what he made for breakfast always tasted good, he had a point about the repetition. She was sure they would both agree that they would get tired of eating the same breakfast day after day. People just needed change every now and then.

"What about a cake?" she asked.

Jaune looked up from his intense stare at the food, and turned to give her a quizzical look. "A cake?"

Now was her chance. A chance to finally indulge and give into the chocolate craving which had plagued her for days now. "Do you know how to like, bake a cake?"

"I guess?" he answered, not sounding all too certain of himself. He chuckled softly as he brought up a finger to scratch his cheek. "I mean it's not like I'm some gourmet chef or anything. I couldn't make one from scratch even if we did have the ingredients. But I think anyone could buy a box of cake mix and follow the instructions."

It figured. No sweet, delicious goodness for her. The club needed to open up again and it needed to happen fast. Once the lien started flowing in once more then she would be back to experiencing the pure bliss that came with her favorite morning treats.

The frown which fell upon Miltia's face must have been obvious, as Jaune's expression changed almost immediately after he had given her his answer. "I mean, just because we don't have any of that stuff now doesn't mean we can't get some," he followed up quickly. "I'm sure one of Junior's guys would pick up a box if you told him to. To be honest I think they would do anything you said."

He wasn't wrong. Junior's goons knew their place on the food chain. They knew that both she and Melanie could tear them apart with little effort. There was just one problem, however.

"That still wouldn't help," she said softly.

Jaune raised an eyebrow at that comment. "Why's that?"

"'Cause I don't know how to cook."

"Well you don't even need to know how to cook. You just follow the-"

"I don't know how," she interrupted. She averted her gaze from him immediately afterward.

"What do you mean you don't know how?"

"I mean I _don't know how_." Her words came out sharper than they had been intended.

A few seconds of silence passed between them after her statement. Her hands were pressed on the surface of the table. How had this even become about her anyway? She was supposed to figure out what to do about the Ruby situation. Yet he hadn't even mentioned it.

"Have you ever tried?" he asked.

The question brought her attention to him once again. "No."

A slight frown formed on his lips. "Then how do you know you can't?"

"I dunno."

The frown quickly turned to amusement, flipping upside down into a sly smile. "That doesn't even make sense."

It didn't have to. Miltia knew that she wasn't a cook. She'd never had to do anything like that in her life. She was a fighter. She didn't cut meats and vegetables. She cut men and women. She didn't deal with giant bowls and spoons and knives. The tools of her culinary art were long, sharp claws.

Still, she did not appreciate the look on his face right now. Looking up at the young man who towered over her did not intimidate her in the slightest, and if anything the feeling of being looked down upon in more ways than one merely annoyed her.

A hand drifted over to her hip as she looked up at him with narrowed eyes. "Are you laughing at me?"

He tried to clear the smile from his face, but if anything it only made his lips quiver. "Uh... no?"

The stupid smirk of his grew a little bit at the question, his lips curling inward briefly as if to seal his mouth shut. His body shook for a fraction of a second. It only annoyed her further.

"You're totally laughing at me," she said accusingly.

Jaune brought his hands up defensively. "I mean, I wasn't until you actually asked if I was. Haven't you ever seen one of those videos where the title of it tells you to try not laughing?"

"I don't care. It's still not funny."

"Maybe not," he conceded. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make fun of you or anything. I just thought it was kinda weird to say you can't do something if you've never tried."

She hadn't meant to snap like that. It became apparent that she had after his apology. Of course he wasn't actually trying to be mean to her about it. It wasn't like this was Melanie being an annoying pest like she often was. However after spending a lifetime growing up with a twin who knew her almost as much as she did herself, it was hard not to expect people to try and poke a little fun at her.

"I know, it's okay," she replied with a frown. She looked away as she spoke, bringing her attention back to the food. "Unlike you I never had a sister who taught me how to do stuff like this."

Jaune shrugged, turning slightly as he looked back at the food too. "Yeah. I get that. It's easy enough for me to say to just follow the instructions on the box. But if you've never even seen a box of the stuff before you don't really know what to expect."

Miltia hummed an acknowledgment. It was good that little argument had been averted before it even began. The last thing she wanted right now was another potential issue.

She heard another small laugh from the boy beside her. "Melanie doesn't seem much like the cooking type either," he continued.

A frown returned to her lips as she looked back to him. "Oh but I do?"

"Well, no," he agreed. "But you seem... I don't know. More responsible I guess? Like you could turn on a stove and it wouldn't burn the place to the ground."

Now that was something she could agree with. Maybe not the burning Junior's club to the ground part. Not even her sister was that careless. However she knew for a fact that she was a great deal more responsible than Melanie. She loved her sister, she really did. She always would. Melanie was the only blood-related family she had left. There were times, though, when her twin's attitude and drinking habit would get her into trouble. When it would get _them_ into trouble. That's where Miltia came in to bail her out. As she always did and always would.

"I had to be," she explained. Her thoughts were full of memories. Recalling sights and sounds and smells from the times where she had been the responsible sister. "One of us did."

Jaune hummed this time. Afterward he looked to meet her gaze. "Well if it makes you feel any better I think she has it in her to be the same when she needs to be."

"What do you mean?"

The blonde boy looked away, his eyes staring into the distance as if recalling a memory of his own. For a few long seconds nothing more was said, the only sound in her ear the dull thumping of her own heart.

"The first time I ever came here," he started. He paused momentarily, most likely not meaning to build any kind of tension but creating it nonetheless. "When I saw you and Melanie for the first time you were both in pretty bad shape. You were both bruised and bleeding." He shook his head softly, an almost embarrassed look forming on his face. "Wow I'm dumb. I don't know why I'm telling _you_ this. I'm sure you remember since you lived through it."

"Mhmm," she said softly. Of course she remembered. It was hard to forget a night like that.

"But anyway," he continued. "When I found you two, you were still unconscious. Melanie was kneeling down on the floor with your head in her lap. She didn't even seem to know or care that there was shattered glass everywhere even though her Aura was gone. All she cared about was you. The way she was whispering your name. The way her hands gently stroked your hair."

Miltia didn't remember these little details. As he said, she had been unconscious. She didn't know how long she had been out for, but obviously long enough if this had happened without her knowledge.

"Then she saw me. The way she looked at me... that look of pure hatred in her eyes." Jaune's voice had dropped lower as he voiced a memory that she could not recall herself. "I thought she was going to tear my throat out right then and there. It was like she was some kind of... I don't know. Lioness, and you were her cub. And if she thought I was any kind of threat to you she would have done anything it took to protect you."

She couldn't help but smile at the way he had worded it, like it was some sort of primal instinct. In a way he was right. Much like an animal driven by instinct alone, there was nothing that she would not do and no length she would not go to in order to protect her sister. She knew that Melanie felt the same way. No matter how much they argued, no matter how much they pissed one another off, they had always been there for one another. Theirs was a bond which was forged before they had even left their mother's womb. A bond which had been tested through loss and tragedy. A bond which had been made stronger through that same loss and tragedy. It was what made them special.

"Sounds about right," she agreed.

"I don't know why she trusted me though," he admitted. "Well, maybe me tossing my sword aside had something to do with it. I think it was just because she was hurt, and that she knew you were in bad shape too. But I know that she was ready to jump on me like a cornered animal if I tried anything."

A cornered animal was the most dangerous kind, or so Miltia had heard. She had no doubt that if Jaune had turned out to be an enemy on that night that Melanie would have fought blade and tooth and nail to fight him off. She would have pulled every nasty trick in her huge book to kill or maim him. Miltia would have done the same.

"She would have." Despite the fact that she knew all of this about her sister, it never hurt to hear it aloud. Hearing it from Jaune was surprising as well. "Maybe you're not as dumb as Melanie says."

That sly smirk came back as he looked down to her. "Says the girl who can't read a box of cake mix."

"I can read it! I've just never done it before!"

"Then let's try it later."

The suggestion surprised her. Not simply because there was the chance that she would indeed have cake in the near future, but because of the implication. Not that he would bake it, but that _they_ would.

"I'll totally mess it up," she insisted.

"You don't know if you don't try."

"That's bullshit," she argued. "I know about a lot of stuff without having to try it. Like, if I jump off a cliff I'm gonna die."

"I don't think baking a cake is a life or death situation."

Okay, maybe he was as dumb as Melanie thought. Clearly he underestimated just how important chocolate was to her.

"You do it."

His brow furrowed in amusement at the order. "What am I, your own personal chef or something?"

"Um, obviously?" she agreed. "You're like, kinda cooking for all of us right now."

That wiped the smile off his face. Jaune looked down at the food, as if he was just reminded of where he was and why he was there. However soon enough that goofy expression returned to his face as his gaze returned to her.

"Fair enough," he admitted with a shrug. "So how about you help me?"

"How about no?" she countered.

"Sounds like someone doesn't want breakfast."

Eyes narrowed on him again. He did not just go there. He did not just threaten to starve her into submission. He may as well have just told Melanie that Junior would only be serving non-alcoholic drinks from now on. The walls would be painted red with blood.

"You wouldn't," she challenged, crossing her arms against her chest as she stared up at him.

His eyes remained locked on hers. "Wanna find out?"

A hard breath shot through her nostrils. Jaune wouldn't have dared speak to Melanie like that. There was no way he ever would have been so bold around her. He knew it. She knew it. So what was his excuse here?

Had she been too soft on him? She had admittedly stood up for him a few times both when he was and wasn't present for the conversation. She had even successfully blocked one of Melanie's attempts to mess with him again, much to the other girl's chagrin. Maybe he was feeling too comfortable around her. Well, it was time to change that. It was time to channel some of her twin's attitude and show him who was boss.

Miltia picked up the large kitchen knife which sat on the table and held it up menacingly at him. "Does this change your mind?"

What appeared to be fear briefly appeared in his eyes before disappearing. His smile had faded into a frown, but as far as she could tell it was not out of fear or anger. Blue eyes drifted from her own and onto the long blade she held in her hand.

"Not like that," he said. A moment later his hands reached out and gripped her own, eliciting a small squeak from the girl in grey and red. They were gentle yet firm in some paradoxical way, and began to manipulate the knife clenched in her fingers.

"What are you-" she started, but was cut off almost as soon as she began.

"You don't chop food with an overhand grip like that," he continued. One by one he pried her fingers off of the knife, at the same time flipping the handle around before replacing her fingers on it once more. "There," he said happily. "Step one complete. Now you don't look like you're about to murder me like a slasher film killer."

She looked down at the very sharp and deadly blade still in her grip. "You know I can still totally murder you like this, right?"

He shrugged in acknowledgement. "True. But who's going to feed you then?"

 _What would Melanie say?_ A moment later it came to her. "I dunno. I'd just sell your organs on the black market or something. I'd make a ton of lien for food."

That one seemed to have gotten through if his reaction was anything to go by. A quick intake of air through clenched teeth told much of the story. "Heh, yeah. Fair point. But," he said as he held his hands up again. "You're hungry now, right? Better to leave me alive and eat now instead of killing me and eating later."

He made a good point as well. Naturally she was not about to kill him. She never would. However, intimidation was a powerful tool. One that her sister was never hesitant about using.

"Whatever," she said.

The relief on his face was apparent with her concession. "Great! So now let's get cooking. I have something in mind."

"I told you I'm not-"

"Omelets sound good to you?"

Miltia stopped in her tracks. She looked up at him, a hunger in her eyes almost equal to the one she felt in her stomach. "You can do that?"

"Yup. They're actually not that hard to make."

Again, Miltia wouldn't know. She had eaten an omelet here and there in her life. Each time had been out at some local diner or restaurant with Melanie and Junior. She had never had one prepared here at the club, however.

"I mean, we have a lot of ingredients here in the freezer," he continued. "Eggs are useful for preparing a lot of stuff on the menu. Then when you think about it, a ton of the food uses cheese, bacon, ham, onions, tomatoes and all that good stuff."

His assessment was true enough. Miltia could not recall the number of times she had eaten a thick, greasy cheeseburger with most of the mentioned items on it as toppings.

"Alright, so," he said as he began to peel the skin off of an onion. She looked up into his eyes for any sign of them watering as she had heard about so many times in media. Ocean-blue eyes remained dry, however. "I'm going to have some onion in mine, so let's chop it up. Sound good?"

Miltia looked to the onion, then to him. Finally back to the knife. Her lip twitched before she looked back up to him once again. "You know you don't have to talk to me like I'm a kid, right?"

He laughed for a split-second before stopping himself. His eyes looked down to the knife before returning to her own. "Sorry. It's just that I usually am talking to a kid when I do something like this. One of my little sisters."

"How old are you anyway?"

"Seventeen. Why?"

She shrugged. "No reason."

"Anyway," he went on. "I want you to take the onion with your left hand and hold it on this cutting board." He produced a slab of wood and placed the onion atop it before motioning for her to continue. Miltia frowned but did so. "Good. Now take the knife, and put the blade on the surface about half an inch away from the edge. Like this."

His hands took her own once more, guiding them and the six inch long blade she held onto the awaiting food. She was about to protest once more about not being a cook and not wanting to cook, but the sensation of his skin making contact with hers quelled the words before they could leave her tongue.

Each of his hands was large, dwarfing hers to the point where he would probably be able to clasp them both comfortably in only one of his. Yet for as large as they were they were also surprisingly soft. She had already noted the gentleness with which they had handled her own earlier, but now here with his resting on her own it was obvious how warm and soft they were.

They were hands that had not seen combat yet. Hands which had not grown calloused from gripping the hilt of a sword. Hands which had not spilled blood. Innocent hands. Just like their owner.

So what if she had been soft on Jaune? Maybe it was what he needed. Melanie... she could be the one to play rough with him. She knew that the girl would undoubtedly enjoy it. Melanie could teach him the lessons he would need to know for this life. The ones he needed to learn so that he wouldn't die.

However that didn't mean that she had to be that way as well. Life didn't have to be nothing but cruelty. Everyone needed someone on their side. Someone to turn to. Someone to be there as a friend. If that someone just happened-

"You alright?"

Miltia was snapped from her thoughts at the sound of his voice. "Huh?"

"You shouldn't space out while you're cutting something. Aura or not it could still hurt."

She looked down to see the knife still in her hands, its edge biting into the onion below. With a tiny shake of her head she cleared her previous line of thinking from her mind. "Right."

"Alright. So what you want to do here is keep the tip of the blade down on the wood, and bring the back of it down to slice through the onion."

She did as he instructed, slowly chopping through the moist, white vegetable. Tears welled up in her eyes as she did.

Little miss Ruby Rose had long since been forgotten.

* * *

Nerd.

Fucking nerd.

It was all Melanie could think as she walked down the sidewalk beside her sister and Jaune.

When Jaune had originally said that he was going to be heading out to pick up a few things she had been mildly intrigued. Not because she found his life particularly interesting, but simply because she was bored. Her interest was perked more when it was revealed that Miltia was going to be tagging along. Something about cake had been mentioned. If Miltia was going then she decided that she would grace them with her presence as well. No reason to let her younger sister have all the fun, after all.

Then it had been revealed that Jaune would be stopping off at a local bookstore. She wasn't much of a reader, and she didn't believe that Jaune was either, but she was going to stick around regardless. It wasn't as if she had anything better to do on a weekday afternoon.

Excitement briefly returned when Jaune explained that he was going to be picking up the latest issue of X-rated Vav, or something along those lines. She didn't know what a Vav was, but since it was only one letter away from something fun she figured she would come with to find out.

However when he had clarified its true name and the fact that it was merely a monthly super hero comic book her enthusiasm plummeted immediately. Not that she was a fan of erotic literature or comics to begin with, but the idea that her new co-worker might have had a few hidden kinks had been enough to warrant her tagging along. It was one way to get past the boredom of the mornings and afternoons. That, and she was simply a naturally curious girl who could always use some more ammunition to use against those who were her sources of entertainment.

Unfortunately by the time Jaune had explained what the comic was truly about they were already almost there. It was too late to turn back now and make the trip into this part of Vale all for nothing. Melanie decided that she would stick it out and see if there was anything that she herself might find interesting at a dusty little book store.

The normally talkative Melanie had been silently stewing for much of the walk since Jaune's anticlimactic reveal. However to her surprise her normally more reserved sister was busy chatting away with the boy about his lame little comic book.

"So what's it about?" the girl in red asked.

"Well, it's about a couple of guys who want to be super heroes," he explained. "They have the powers and everything, but they're just not very good at it. They're always screwing around and messing things up."

"Sounds like you," Melanie said sharply.

Both Jaune and Miltia turned to their to look at her. As usual the boy was flanked on either side by the twins, with Miltia on his right side and Melanie on his left. It didn't matter that he was not someone they viewed as an enemy who needed to be surrounded. At this point the strategy of using the number's game to their advantage was so ingrained in their minds that they did so without even thinking about it.

A small frown formed on Miltia's lips. "That's not very nice."

"What?" Melanie said innocently. "I thought it'd be like, a compliment to be compared to his favorite characters and stuff."

Not true, but it was easy enough to frame it as such. There were obvious comparisons that could be made that were less than flattering. Jaune had wanted to be a hero. A huntsman. He had failed in doing so.

As for messing things up, well, she couldn't exactly say he had done that as of yet. However his career in working for Junior was young. Give him time and he would probably screw something up.

"Not exactly the kind of people I want to be compared to," Jaune pointed out.

Melanie huffed dismissively. "Whatever."

It was a good thing they were almost there. It was a stupid little conversation anyway. In the distance she could read out the name of the store Jaune had mentioned. It would be hard to miss it, with there being two signs proclaiming the name for all the world to see. Tukson's Book Trade. She'd never heard of it. However as she had already noted, she was hardly one for reading.

It was a quaint little place. As the trio grew near she could see that it wasn't some large chain store that may have had multiple locations spread across the kingdom, or even the continents. Probably some local business. Melanie rolled her eyes as she recalled the conversations she had overheard in her life of people acting like they were better than others because they supported local businesses. If Jaune decided to do the same thing she would not hesitate to kick the crap out of him.

The boy paused before reaching for the door, turning back to her and Miltia. "I'll just be in there for a minute," he told them. "You don't have to come in if you don't want."

Miltia shrugged. "It's fine."

"Whatever," Melanie said again. "Probably at least has air conditioning in there."

Jaune seemed satisfied with their answers, pulling the door open to the sound of a soft jingle.

The three stepped inside, and the first thing Melanie noticed was how dimly lit the shop was. For a place where you were supposed to read, or at least be able to read to see if you wanted the book, it seemed like a rather stupid design flaw. Most of the light was coming from the two large windows which sat on either side of the entrance.

Her nose wrinkled at the smell of the store. Paper. It had a distinct smell. Whether it was a school, library, or in this case a book store, there was no mistaking the stench of old ink and paper. Row after row of books sat atop shelves which seemed to be haphazardly set up throughout the room. How was anyone supposed to find anything in a place like this anyway? At least Junior had some organization skill when it came to the liquor setup behind the bar. It made finding her drink of choice for the night a very simple task.

A glance over to Jaune made her think that he was having a similar problem, his head on a swivel as he looked around for some idea of what he was looking for. A moment later his eyes lit up, a soft smile playing on his lips. "Nice, looks like comics are all right here by the front."

Melanie didn't respond as he separated himself from the group, or at least until Miltia decided to follow him. Left alone now Melanie was free to wander the small place until he was done. No one else was even in the store. Probably because most people had better things to do on a weekday morning. Like work. Poor bastards.

Not even the store employees seemed to be around. No one was even behind the counter. Stealing from Tukson would have been a breeze. She was half tempted to go over to Jaune, figure out what comic he wanted and just grab it and leave. However she was certain that he would protest the action with some misguided sense of morality. Maybe if the store owner didn't want to get robbed he would actually be on the floor to watch for potential shoplifters.

Deciding to see just how stupid the man was, Melanie sauntered over to the counter, resting her arms up against it. She wanted to see just how long it would take the idiot to come out and assist a potential customer. The pair of double doors behind the counter led into some sort of back room. If he was going to make an appearance, it would probably be from there.

Seconds passed by in relative silence with the only sounds in the room being the faint chatter that Jaune and Miltia exchanged behind her. Soon enough she added to noise, her long fingernails rapping on the counter's wooden surface in an impatient rhythm. Seriously, she could have grabbed the whole series of whatever Jaune's favorite comics were and been out the door already. Whoever this Tukson was, he was clearly incompetent. Melanie was half tempted to ring the small bell on the counter to get his attention, but she didn't want to cheat in her own boredom-spawned game.

That was when she heard something else. A voice coming from the doors behind the counter. The girl leaned in a little to try and hear what it was saying. The words were mostly vague, muffled by the distance and doors which separated her from them. She could make out a few here and there, but not enough to get a clear picture. Until she heard one in particular.

 _"...Roman..."_

Roman? As in Roman Torchwick? Her mind went on alert at the mention of the criminal's name. She didn't know why it had been mentioned. She didn't know the context of its use. In an instant she could feel her heart thumping in her ears, and her mind was working overtime to try and drown out the talking behind her and focus on what was ahead. Sadly it was of no use, and the full conversation continued to elude her.

The doors pushed open, revealing a pair of men walking out. One was a faunus, the antlers which protruded from his forehead being a dead giveaway. The other appeared to be human, or at the very least if he was a faunus as well his defining trait was hidden from her. Both men were large, probably about as tall as Jaune and with a little more meat on their bones.

One turned back to look to the backroom he had just left. "Be there, Tukson," he said with a certain degree of authority in his voice. "You'll disappoint a lot of people if you miss another meeting."

The pair made their way out from behind the counter, a certain swagger to their walk that Melanie recognized all too well. She had spent much of her life growing up around real criminals and wannabe thugs alike. She knew the signs. The way that they carried themselves. Like they were big shots. Like they were tough guys for shoving around people who were weaker than them. Like the power that they had was real.

She stared at them as they left the store, their eyes locking onto hers as she did. Despite the fact that they wore regular clothes, that they for all intents and purposes looked like average people, she knew better. Their eyes told the entire story. They were hard eyes that were used to intimidating others. Eyes like her own. They were trying to intimidate her in that very moment for having the audacity to look at them the way that she was. She didn't back down. Neither did they.

Melanie's heart rate had surged, and her brain had entered criminal mode. There was the potential for a fight to break out in the next few seconds. Her mind raced to recalled the details of this place which might save her life. There was only one confirmed exit, that being the front door they had come through. It was possible that there was a rear exit in the backroom, but she could not count on that. As for possible weapons, she could not recall seeing anything hard or solid. She could always pick up a hefty book and smash the spine over someone's head, but she couldn't count on it to be effective. Without her blades and Miltia's claws they would have to rely on feet and fists alone.

Her eyes remained locked on the two men until they had left the store. In the end her adrenaline surge had been for nothing, and the pair exited without incident. Almost immediately a wave of relief passed over her, but she was still on edge. A glance over to Miltia told her that she felt the same. Her twin stared back at her, still standing next to Jaune who seemed blissfully ignorant of what was taking place between the sisters.

Hands which she did not even realize had become sweaty rubbed the wood counter leaving a thin trail of moisture in their wake. Better there than on her dress.

The sudden sound of a new voice snapped her back to reality as she looked back behind the counter to see a third man emerge from the backroom. "Sorry for the wait, ma'am."

Another man, this one a little bit shorter than the other two had made his way to stand across the counter from her. His black hair was cut short, and as if to make up for that he sported massive mutton chops down the sides of his face. Arms which were also covered in copious amounts of hair painted a rather unpleasant picture of what the rest of the man's body might have looked like, and Melanie was happy that he wore a white undershirt beneath what would have otherwise been a revealing v-neck shirt.

His voice sounded tired when he spoke next. "Welcome to Tukson's Book Trade," he said with a distinct lack of enthusiasm. If the idea was to convince potential customers to buy his books then he was sorely lacking in that department. "Home to every book under the sun. How may I help you?"

So this was Tukson? Apparently, since one of the other men had addressed him as such. Despite his overly-hairy appearance he seemed to be just an average guy overall. He lacked the tells of the two men who had just left. It made her wonder what kind of relationship he shared with them.

"I'm with them," Melanie said as she motioned back over to Miltia and Jaune. "Not looking for anything though."

Tukson nodded. "Alright. But if you change your mind let me know. We have something here for pretty much anyone. I could offer a few recommendations if you'd like."

What a salesman he was. Despite her just saying that she wasn't looking for anything he was more than eager to push a sale or two onto her. It had been done in such a polite and helpful way that some people might have actually fallen for the con. However most people had not grown up around conmen and criminals the way she had.

"Thanks," she said disingenuously. He didn't seem to pick up on it, however. She on the other hand had picked up on his lackluster greeting, and was about to call him out on it. "Everything alright there, big guy?"

The man's brow furrowed briefly in confusion before he answered. "I am. Thanks for asking though."

A good liar he was not, and Melanie pressed onward. "You sure? Those guys you were talking to seemed like, upset."

She wanted to know who they were and why they were talking about Roman Torchwick. A man who if Junior was correct, may have had some connection to the girl who attacked the club a few weeks ago. After all, a criminal as renowned and skilled as Roman did not botch an operation the way that he had. She could not help but feel it had been on purpose in an attempt to deliberately weaken Junior. It had done exactly that. The loss of manpower after the club was hit and Roman's failed operation had sapped her employer of much of his strength.

Tukson's poker face was lacking, and the noticeable swallowing in his throat told her that he was indeed not alright. "Oh, you mean them?" he asked, feigning innocence. "Sorry you had to see that. They're a couple of regular customers and I didn't have what they were looking for. But it'll turn out alright. We're still close."

Bullshit. Melanie had seen their type before, and they were not customers. She was all too familiar with the scumbags who walked around like they had the biggest dicks in the room. At least until they had a sharp steel blade pressed up against their manhood. It truly was a pity that she left her blades at home.

"S'okay," she shrugged. Tukson was on edge now as well. There was worry in his eyes. That along with the blatant lie he had just told was just piling onto the evidence that he was hiding something. Something involving those men who had left.

"If you need anything I'll be over there assisting your friends," he said as he looked over to where Miltia and Jaune still stood.

Her eyes narrowed. One moment he was trying to push a sale onto her, and now he was simply abandoning her for a customer he already knew would be making a purchase?

Before he could leave Melanie decided to push even further. Hopefully this time she would get something concrete. "Is Roman a regular customer too?"

The question stopped Tukson in his tracks. He looked back to the girl, a tiny bit of panic in his hazel eyes. Clearly the last thing he expected was to be asked about was Roman. Judging by his reaction it was apparent that they were talking about the same Roman.

"I, uh..." he began with uncertainty. "I don't know who you mean by that."

She smelled blood. It was time to go in for the kill. "Roman Torchwick," she clarified. "I heard someone mention him when you were in back," she said motioning to the doors. "Is he one of your regulars too?"

He shook his head, but as always his eyes painted a far clearer picture than his body or words ever could. "I think you have me mistaken for someone else."

"Do I, Tukson?" she said in a low tone. "Do I?"

Tukson's full attention was on her again, but this time it was for the wrong reasons. His breathing had become heavier and it was clear he was uncomfortable with where the conversation had gone. Another lump came and went from his throat. "I think you should leave," he said with a hint of sternness in his tone.

Not a chance. Clearly something was wrong here. There were too many coincidences here for it to just be one big coincidence. Name dropping Roman Torchwick. Obvious thugs in the backroom with Tukson. His nervousness at the mention of both. These things added up to something. Tukson knew something. She didn't know what he knew exactly, but it was _something_. If that something just happened to involve knowledge of that new player in town then she wanted to know. Even if it was just a tip in the right direction, she would find out. By any means necessary.

Melanie's head tilted slightly, a coy smile playing on her lips. "But my friends are still shopping," she said innocently.

"They can make their purchases and leave," he said. His hands were pressed up against the counter now, torso leaning slightly forward. He was still above average in terms of height and build, and a great deal larger than Melanie. He was trying to use that size to intimidate her. "You however need to get out of my store right now."

Little did he know that she had thrashed bigger men than him.

The girl in white did not back down from his little display, and in fact leaned in as well to meet his face halfway across the counter. "You gonna make me, big guy?" she asked in a hushed whisper.

His stare had become more intense with that challenge. He knew that the jig was up. He could not use words to convince her of his innocence or ignorance.

It was impressive that he didn't back down either. Tukson had balls, she had to give him that. "Who sent you?" he asked in an equally quiet tone.

A sly grin spread across Melanie's face, her tongue poking out briefly to wet her full red lips. "A girl's allowed to have her secrets," she answered teasingly. "Now you gonna tell me about Roman or not?"

The staredown persisted for long seconds, and Melanie felt her face beginning to warm in response to her body's natural reaction to danger. Her heart was pumping blood through her veins, her muscles were tensing in perpetration to either fight or run away. She had no intention of doing the latter.

"No."

In a flash Tukson threw his arms up from the table, and fingernails which had once appeared normal extended to form sets of sharp, inch-long claws.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** So Tukson's getting introduced a lot earlier than normal. Kind of similar to the way it happened in V2, which is completely intentional. "It's like poetry, they rhyme", as George Lucas once infamously said. Hopefully that's where comparisons between the prequels and my story end...

Anyway, as always my thanks go out to everyone who cares about this story. I'll say it every chapter, and it probably gets repetitive, but I just always want to let you know that I really do appreciate your support. I enjoy seeing that people enjoy the story, if that makes sense.

Questions, comments or concerns? You know what to do. Feedback is always appreciated.

Thanks for reading, I hope you liked it.


	10. Chapter 10

He didn't want to spoil too much of it. It wasn't a library after all.

With the latest issue of X-Ray and Vav in his hands Jaune was ready to leave. Such craftsmanship should be enjoyed at home, or at least what was considered to be his home now. However Miltia had seemed curious enough about the book's contents, and Jaune was not about to let this opportunity pass by. If there was a chance that she could become a fellow comic book nerd then he would take it.

She stood close by him, her shoulder nearly touching his. It was slightly amusing how he had to hold the book much lower than he normally would have in order for her to see it. Had she always worn those ornate feathers in her hair?

"So that's really the basics of..." he stopped as he saw the girl's head snap up and look away from the comic that they had both been reading. "Mil-"

He didn't even get a chance to finish saying her name before a loud crashing noise filled his ears.

Jaune's attention was drawn to the same place Miltia's had been only a second earlier. Books were still spilling from a small shelf which had once stood proudly in the store, and the cause of its fall was crouched atop it. Jaune had briefly seen the man standing behind the counter only moments earlier, so he was obviously an employee. That was Tukson himself, wasn't it? What was going on?

Such questions were banished from his mind as he saw that Melanie stand up. Had she been attacked? Had she taken a hit? Why would Tukson do such a thing to her?

Before he could even think of giving voice to these thoughts he saw that Miltia was on the move. The girl in red and black had begun her attack the moment the silence had been broken. In fact she had been aware of something being awry even before that.

He didn't see her coming in spite of her flashy attire. With a running start Miltia delivered a powerful right hand to Tukson's cheek. Even without a lot of muscle on her frame Miltia displayed a surprising show of strength and the blow knocked the man onto his side. He rolled with the impact however, and it took only a couple of seconds for him to bring himself back to his feet.

They were valuable seconds for the girls as well as Jaune himself to get into position, however. Melanie was standing tall now beside Miltia. Jaune stood on the girl's other side, eyes darting between them and the man before him.

"The fuck did you say to him?" Miltia asked.

Jaune wanted to know as well. He knew that Melanie was temperamental, but getting the owner of the store to attack her seemed beyond anything he had seen from the girl.

"Later," Melanie snarled, ignoring her sister's question entirely. There was an edge to her voice which contrasted her normally mischievous and playful attitude. "Just help me get the bastard down."

The statement did nothing to ease the boy's concerns. "You were on the ground. Did you get hit?"

"She didn't," Miltia answered for her sister.

"I ducked," Melanie added. "Son of a bitch is fast though. He's got claws too so be careful."

Miltia nodded, settling into a low combat stance.

Claws? Jaune looked over the man and for a second could not see what Melanie was talking about. When he thought of claws he imagined the long blades which were Miltia's weapons of choice. However upon further inspection he saw that Tukson did indeed possess claws. Not like the savage weapons of the younger Malachite twin though, these were all natural. His fingernails were far longer than anything he had ever seen before, thick and sharp enough to be considered claws.

"A faunus?" he thought aloud.

"Who cares. Let's fucking do this."

The words were apparently all Miltia needed to hear. As soon as they had been uttered the two girls advanced, splitting apart and coming at Tukson from both sides. The way they moved was like poetry in motion, and Jaune wondered if they had spent years training to be able to fight as a coordinated duo rather than relying on individual battle plans trying to move in sync.

Tukson could only look in one direction at a time, and as a result could only properly defend that same direction. He just so happened to choose Miltia, probably because he had been on the receiving end of the girl's fist only moments ago. He raised his arms in preparation to block the strike only to find Miltia pull back at the last moment. The feint had been by design, and Tukson paid for his decision when his legs were swept out from under him by the educated feet of Melanie who had darted behind him during the distraction. Now that the man was on his back he may as well have been a wounded animal surrounded by a pack of wolves.

Melanie turned out to be correct, however. Tukson was fast. Before either twin could capitalize on their success the man had rolled aside, avoiding the axe kick which would have brought her un-bladed but still very painful heel down onto his face.

Both twins pressed forward with their assault, with Miltia going high with her fists while Melanie targeted the man's lower body with her feet. The movements were lightning quick, and no matter how strong or burly Tukson may have been he was succumbing to the precision strikes of the twins. He was just a man. The owner of a book store. The girls were fighters. Trained by a former huntsman.

His face was bruised and bleeding, but that did not seem to deter him at all. Grabbing what looked to be a heavy hardcover book, Tukson threw it at the approaching twins. Miltia brought her arms up to shield herself from the impact, and as soon as she did so the man was on the move once more. He came at her with an arm raised, sharp claws poised and ready to rend flesh.

He never made it close enough to be a threat. There were still two other players in the game, and Tukson had seemed to have been reduced to tunnel vision to see only his target.

They had acted independently, yet had successfully executed a coordinated attack. Jaune had come at him from above, running and leaping to throw himself into Tukson's chest in order to tackle him to the floor. It was made all the easier when at the same time Melanie sent another punishing boot into the side of the man's knee, knocking out his leg from under him and sending him crashing down to the ground.

From that point there was no room for skill. It became a struggle to try an immobilize the man who Jaune saw as a threat to his two friends. A man who had gone after the two girls with razor sharp claws. Jaune put all of his weight on trying to pin him to the floor, his hands grappling with Tukson's to try and keep them away from any vital areas.

Soon enough Melanie joined him, only instead of working to try and subdue the man peacefully, sent a fist into the man's jaw. A tiny spurt of crimson flew up from bloody lips when she made contact.

"Stay down!" she yelled as the man continued to struggle in Jaune's grip.

She was answered by a flash of red-stained teeth as they grit together in struggle. Jaune was a big guy, not bulging with muscle but not the long and lanky type either. For Tukson to be able to put up such a fight against the combined weight and efforts of both he and Melanie spoke volumes of his own strength.

Miltia completed their trio, taking the opportunity to kneel atop his legs and press them onto the floor to completely limit his mobility. Still though, he moved and thrashed about.

Another fist connected with Tukson's face. "Stop moving!" Melanie screamed. Another punch. Another impact. Again and again they rained down upon him. Each blow was met with another splash of blood.

The dull thumping sound of fists on meat drowned out all other noise. Jaune was beginning to feel sick from the sight of it all, and thankfully the resistance had finally ceased. He didn't know whether it was the hits alone or the addition of Melanie's demands which had caused it, but he was glad that Tukson had finally given up.

A look over at Melanie showed a hard edge in her eyes that looked familiar. It was the same look she had had at the conclusion of their spar when she had straddled his hips. Was he himself fortunate that she had not rained down punches on him too?

"Get the door, Miltia," the girl in white spoke evenly.

He heard no reply, but Jaune felt the presence behind him get up and heard the sound of heels on tile as Miltia went over to the front door. It was a good call. The last thing they needed right now was for some random customer to walk in and see the aftermath of this bloodbath.

The door's lock clicked and the windows were tinted dark so that no prying eyes would be able to see inside. Still, Jaune could not shake the nervousness from his body. He could not calm down. Adrenaline was surging through him right now and he was on edge. His heart pounded in his chest. His hands were still curled up into fists in case Tukson decided to restart the fight. He hoped it would not come to that.

Jaune felt a hand on his shoulder. His body jerked out of instinct alone, and it took a moment to realize that it could only be one person's hand.

He looked up to see Miltia standing over him. "Jaune."

"Yeah?"

"You should wait outside," she told him softly.

The quizzical look he shot at her asked many questions, but at the moment he could only think of one thing to say. It wasn't the brightest thing, but one could hardly blame him for his brain not working at full capacity at the moment. "But you just locked the door."

"So I'll let you out and then lock it again," she countered. "Okay?"

Out of the question. He was needed right here. He wasn't about to abandon the girls when they had just been attacked like that even if they could handle themselves in a fight without him. They were his coworkers. His partners. At least one of them was beginning to feel like a friend. He would have their backs.

He shook his head. "No. I'm staying here."

Her next word came out as little more than a whisper. "Please."

Melanie chose to interject herself into the conversation before Jaune could protest again. "Let him stay," she said in his defense. A look back over to her revealed that she had not looked up from Tukson's bloody mess of a face.

" _Melanie..."_ the girl in red hissed.

"He needs to fucking learn," the elder twin snapped, this time finally turning her head to look at the girl she spoke to. "And unless you plan on dragging him out yourself I don't think he's moving."

He very much doubted that Miltia would have been able to force him outside unless it was by dragging his unconscious form out the door. One look at the girl's face told him that despite her objection to him staying that she was not about to go through with such a plan. Jaune was thankful for the support, but he had no idea what Melanie meant by him needing to learn something. He supposed there was only one way to find out.

Hard green eyes turned their focus to Jaune. Melanie did not look pleased. "Help me get him up," she ordered. "I'm totally not questioning him on the floor like this."

Jaune nodded and slowly began to ease the pressure he was applying to Tukson. In his periphery he saw Melanie doing the same, while Miltia hovered near them on guard for any sudden moves from the man. He didn't think that there would be any, but it was never a bad thing to be too careful.

Slowly but surely they were able to lift what must have been close to two hundred pounds of dead weight off of the floor and into a kneeling position. Melanie was far stronger than she appeared. With a dancer's frame she didn't appear to have all that much muscle mass, but then again she was most certainly physically capable. Their spar had proven that beyond a doubt. Perhaps Aura had something to do with it? He didn't know.

He wondered what kind of questions Melanie meant. The first and most obvious on his mind would be why Tukson attacked her. He hadn't heard any arguing between the two. Melanie hadn't been a disturbance to the store. There had been no other customers inside for her to bother. So why?

"Mil, go in back and see if there's a chair," the older girl continued.

Miltia nodded and went in back.

It left the three people in the store's main room in an awkward position. Both himself and Melanie held onto one of his arms as Tukson knelt with his head sagging forward. Jaune didn't know if he was unconscious or simply too weak to try fighting back or even hold himself up with his own power.

What was only a few seconds seemed like an eternity to Jaune. Every passing moment was one where Tukson could break free and the melee could start anew. Another opportunity for something to go horribly wrong. So when Miltia finally emerged from the back room it felt like a great weight being lifted from his shoulders.

She carried a simple wooden chair in her right hand as well as a dark grey roll of duct tape in her left. "Found this too," she said holding up the second item.

"Kinky," Melanie said in a far more familiar tone.

Miltia rolled her eyes at the comment. "So not the time for jokes."

"Whatever." The girl in white turned to Jaune. "Get him up on the chair."

He nodded, and along with Melanie lifted Tukson into a standing position before placing him down in the seat. As soon as he was down Miltia began wrap tape around his arms and torso. The sound of ripping tape and soft grunts of exertion filled the room, and in a matter of seconds the man was tied helplessly to the chair. It was a relief to see him in such a position. Unless he had some other tricks up his sleeves like those claws, he was no longer a threat.

Jaune took a step backwards, arms folded across his chest as he took in the scene around him. What was he doing? What was any of this? Shelves and tables were tipped over and destroyed. Books lay strewn all over the floor. In the middle of it all was the store's owner, bloody and bound to a chair at the mercy of two girls who worked for a known crime boss.

If he thought his heart rate was up before, it was through the roof now. He could hear the rapid rhythm inside his skull threatening to burst through his ears.

 _You should wait outside._

What were they planning?

 _He needs to fucking learn._

Words which had been lost in the heat of battle suddenly began to make sense. The scene playing out before him was like something out of an old mafia movie. The imagery was all there. A bruised and bloody man was tied down to a chair awaiting interrogation. Had Melanie and Miltia been wearing suits and hats instead of dresses it would have been perfect.

"Let's wake him up," Melanie told her sister.

Miltia nodded. What came next shocked Jaune to his core.

The red-clad girl's hand curled into a fist. However rather than a straight punch she took the back of her hand to Tukson's face. The sickening sound of knuckles on flesh filled his ears, and the man's head whipped around from the force of the strike.

Jaune's heart caught in his throat. "Miltia..." he gasped. A word which was supposed to carry the weight of shock and horror sounded little more like the whisper of a frightened child.

The girl in question looked back at him unapologetically. Gone were the playful eyes of the girl who had tried so hard to threaten him into cooking her breakfast. Gone were the nervous eyes of the girl who had done her best to get out of assisting him in the kitchen. He didn't know what it was that he saw right now. All he knew was that it frightened him.

The blow had done the trick, however. Tukson began to stir. A noticeable amount of effort could be seen in him trying to move his arms, but to no avail. He was held tightly by the bonds which Miltia had placed around him. After a few seconds of struggling he seemed to realize there would be no way out of this. Tukson lifted his head to look up at his captors.

"Glad you're back with us," Melanie said softly. "You gonna cooperate now?"

The man licked his lips before spitting a gob of bloody saliva to the floor beside him. "Piss off."

Jaune was surprised when Melanie didn't react with the anger he had expected. Rather she seemed more amused than anything. "Still got some fight left I see. That's okay. It'll totally be more fun for me that way."

The girl sauntered over to get in close to the seated man, bringing her face so close to his own that for a brief moment Jaune thought she was going to kiss his bloody lips. Melanie did not, and merely stared into his eyes for long moments before finally pulling back.

As soon as she had a little distance Melanie lashed out with a fist of her own. It struck with the speed of lightning, and with Jaune's adrenaline-heightened sense of hearing it may as well have been as loud as thunder. The impact resulted in the chair rocking back and forth for a few seconds before finally settling back down onto the floor.

Melanie's hands came to rest on her hips as she looked down at the man. "You gonna tell me what I want to know?"

Her question was answered with a hard grimace and clenched teeth.

She took another couple of steps forward, grabbing Tukson by his chin and forcing him to look up at her. "You don't have any Aura," she said. To Jaune it almost sounded like she was excited by the idea of it. "That means anything I do to you is gonna last a long time. Understand?"

Tukson closed his eyes. He remained as silent as he was before. However it was clear that he understood the implications of the older Malachite.

"Tell me about Roman Torchwick."

He tried to shake his head, but with his chin in Melanie's iron grip he barely managed to move it. "I can't," he managed to get out.

"Wrong answer."

She released his chin before sending another hard fist into his face. The chair rocked back with such force that it would have tipped over this time if not for the timely intervention of Miltia. The other twin steadied it and remained there holding the back of the seat in preparation for another strike.

The sight was horrifying. Were these the same girls who had teased him at the bar? Whose eyes had lit up at the taste of his cooking? The thought that they were capable of such vicious violence was sickening.

"Roman! Fucking! Torchwick!" Melanie yelled into his face. "What the fuck is your connection to him!"

"I can't," Tukson gasped. "They'll kill me!"

"And I fucking won't?"

This time she went to her specialty. With an elegant twist of her leg Melanie delivered a savage roundhouse kick to the side of Tukson's head. Despite Miltia's presence behind the chair the kick still managed to tip the chair over and onto its side. Only the presence of the tape kept the man on it from spilling out onto the floor.

Jaune had been on the receiving end of such a blow once before and it had dropped him to the ground like he was nothing. Even with his Aura he had been stunned by the strike. To hear that Tukson was still conscious and crying out in pain was a testament to his strength and resolve. A lesser person would have been knocked out cold by the hit.

It was too much for Jaune to bear. He stepped forward, finally able to muster enough courage to speak. "Melanie stop!"

The girl twirled around to look at him. There was murder in her eyes. Junior had never answered whether or not she and Miltia would actually kill him. However in this moment Jaune fully believed she was capable of the act.

"Shut up," she snarled. "You just stand there and shut up, got it?"

"No," he said, reaching out with an arm before thinking better of the idea and retracting it. "You don't have to go this far. Please."

She was on him in a heartbeat, grasping the front of his shirt and squeezing it tightly. Despite the fact that he had a good eight inches of height on her and probably close to a hundred pounds, she was the most intimidating sight he had ever seen.

"Don't you get self-righteous with me, little huntsman," she whispered harshly.

"I'm n-"

"I said shut up!"

He did so. The girl before him was terrifying. The cold look in her eyes was not like anything he had ever seen from her before. She was mischievous. Playful. Sarcastic. Even fun in her own unique way. This though... this was a side of the girl which Jaune had never seen.

" _You_ were the one who tried to lie your way into Beacon," she continued. " _You_ were the one who threw your lot in with criminals. _You_ were the one who agreed to be Junior's muscle. What the fuck did you think that meant?"

Jaune was too scared to voice his answer. He had been under the assumption that he would be a bouncer or some form of security. It seemed so ridiculous right now.

Melanie was right. He had done all of those things. In the eyes of the law he was in league with a known crime boss. Maybe he had simply fooled himself into thinking that he wasn't. Junior seemed like a nice guy, after all. Maybe he had fooled himself into thinking that the twins weren't the man's enforcers. They were a pair of beautiful girls who looked to be around his age. It was easier to see them as that and only that rather than what they really were.

His thoughts went back to Miltia and how she had looked at him minutes before. Was that the real her? What had happened to the girl in the kitchen?

He knew now why she had wanted him to step outside. Miltia hadn't wanted him to see the truth. She hadn't wanted him to see what they were going to do to Tukson. Whether it was for Jaune's own protection or to hide Miltia's other side, he could not say. Maybe it was a little bit of both.

A glance back over to where Miltia was standing saw that the girl had turned her head away from him. Her gaze was on the floor now, and he could tell that she was actively refusing to meet his eyes.

The grip on his shirt loosened, and a moment later Melanie released him and took a step back. "Yeah. That's what I thought."

His silence did indeed speak volumes. He could not refute anything she had just said.

Jaune let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding in when Melanie walked away from him and back over to Tukson. He had been lifted back up from the ground by Miltia during the brief conversation.

"We don't have to do this, Tukson," Melanie said as she stood a couple of feet away from her prisoner. She was ready to strike him again if he didn't cooperate. "Just tell me what I want to know and we'll leave. What do you know about Roman Torchwick? Did he order the hit on Junior's club?"

"I can't," he said. The previous edge to his voice was gone. In its place was a desperate whisper. "Please. I can't."

"Yes you fucking can!" Melanie screamed. Her hips were moving and she was about to send another kick into the side of his skull. Without Aura it very well may kill him. She halted in mid-motion at the sound of a single word.

"Stop!" Jaune shouted.

Melanie turned back, a look of pure rage defiling her beautiful face. She was about to stomp over to him once more, but Jaune raised his hands up defensively and spoke again.

"Let me talk to him," he pleaded. "Please. Just give me a chance."

"You don't have the balls to do anything to him," Melanie spat.

She wasn't wrong. However he didn't need to be threatening. All he needed was to be the rational one. Jaune had seen a lot of movies and television shows in his life. If there was one thing he knew about the crime genre, it was that the "good cop, bad cop" act didn't work without a good cop. Right now Melanie was being the worst bad cop possible.

"Just... just give me a chance," he said desperately. He couldn't simply sit by and watch a man be tortured like this. It wasn't something that a huntsman would do. He may be working with criminals, but in his heart he still desired to be a huntsman. To be a hero. If he could be Tukson's hero today it was worth a shot. "Please. If it doesn't work then what harm is it?"

Melanie's arms crossed underneath her breasts, obviously annoyed by the idea. She never got a chance to voice her opinion, however. Miltia placed a hand on her sister's shoulder. When their eyes met all it took was a simple nod from the younger twin to decide things.

"Whatever," Melanie huffed. "You have two minutes."

It wasn't much time, but it would have to do. _Thank you, Miltia._

Jaune sent a thankful look over to the girl who had given him a chance to try things his way. Their eyes locked for only a brief moment before the girl turned away once more.

He couldn't focus on her right now, however. A man's life may very well hang in the balance. He had to try his best.

The twins now stood on the sidelines a few steps away from where Tukson was. The man was in bad shape. His face was swelled up now from the repeated blows, and his black and purple skin was caked with dried and crusted patches of blood around his lips and nostrils.

 _Please work with me, Tukson,_ his mind begged as he approached him. He knelt down on one knee before the man, trying his best to remember how to form a friendly smile on his lips. "Hey, Tukson," he said softly. The injured man looked up. Hazel eyes were a mixture of tired and frightened. Jaune could not blame him. "My name's Jaune."

"Don't tell him your name!" Melanie shouted.

Maybe it had been a dumb move for if and when Tukson went to the authorities. However right now Jaune wasn't looking that far into the future. His mind was on the here and now. Focused on how to save a life.

He ignored the girl's words and concentrated on the man in front of him. "I came in here to get the latest issue of X-Ray and Vav. I... I'd still like to buy it. If that's okay."

Tukson's eyes widened in disbelief. "Huh?"

Jaune didn't know. He was winging it. This was all pure instinct on his part. He just knew that he needed to be nice. He needed to gain Tukson's trust.

He shrugged. "It's my favorite comic. Guess I'm kind of a nerd about it. You ever read it?"

Jaune wasn't sure if he was successfully making any kind of connection with the man. It was difficult to read a man's face when it was bloody and swollen. At this point all he could go off of were eyes, and there was only so much one could get from them.

"No," Tukson answered.

"You should. It's funny and well-written."

"Are you going somewhere with this?" Melanie interrupted.

Jaune turned to look back at the girl. "I..." he started uncertainly. Truthfully he didn't know himself where he was going with this. The detectives on TV made interrogations seem a lot easier than they really were. "Yeah," he lied. "Just give me some time."

"Then hurry up."

 _Yeah, no pressure or anything,_ was what he wanted to say. However right now the last thing he wanted was an even more enraged Melanie. Instead he looked back to Tukson. "So yeah, I really want to read the latest issue. But I can't buy it unless you tell us what we need to know."

In that moment he knew he needed to say "us" rather than "them" referring to the twins. If Tukson knew that Jaune represented the girls and their interests then he might feel more inclined to talk. Talking to the guy who wouldn't beat you up as opposed to the girls who would could do wonders to loosen anyone's tongue.

"I can't," he said just as he had before.

"Why not?"

Tukson shook his head. "I already told you."

Jaune frowned. He remembered what the man had said. It was hard to forget words like those. "Someone will kill you?"

The man swallowed hard. "Yes."

It was powerful motivation. It was the kind of threat that Jaune couldn't compete with. However, he wasn't alone in this. A strategy began formulating in his mind. It was a long shot, but he was running out of time and options.

"Then you're dead either way."

Hazel eyes widened again, and Tukson looked back up to Jaune. "What?"

"If you don't tell us what we need to know then she's going to finish the job," he said, pointing over to where Melanie stood. "But she doesn't have to."

"What are you talking about?"

 _Okay, Jaune. Keep it together. Lie like your life depends on it... because this guy's life does._ "If you tell us what we need to know we can offer you protection." He turned back to look at where the twins stood. "Junior has all kinds of contacts who can do that, right?"

Melanie started towards where Jaune knelt down, Miltia trailing slightly behind her. She grabbed Jaune and pulled him to his feet, bringing his head down close to hers. "What are you doing?" she whispered into his ear.

He didn't know. He knew he didn't have any kind of authority to make a promise like this to Tukson. However it was the only thing he could think of. If Melanie and Miltia were actually capable of killing someone then the man was going to die today. On the other hand if Tukson told them what they wanted to know, death at least wouldn't be a certainty. It was a gamble for sure, but it was the best option he could see.

If Junior could actually offer this man some sort of safety then it would be all the better. A man with Junior's resources and connections had to have that kind of capability, right?

"Trust me," he whispered back to Melanie. "Please."

The girl in white relented, releasing him and allowing him to stand back up at full height. "Fine."

Jaune nodded thankfully, a small smile on his lips all he could muster at the moment. His attention returned to Tukson shortly after. "If you talk we'll help you," he continued. "We won't let anyone kill you."

It was after those words that Tukson's demeanor changed. A slow and sad chuckle played on his lips. It was the sound of utter defeat. Of hopelessness. "You really believe that, don't you?"

He had to. A huntsman would. A huntsman had to believe in himself. He had to believe that he had what it took to protect people.

Jaune nodded. "I do. I'll do whatever it takes to help you. An A-" he stopped himself, remembering Melanie's earlier words about his identity. "I never go back on my word."

"So I'm dead if I do and dead if I don't," Tukson mused. "Unless you're able to protect me?"

When he put it like that it was clear that the man didn't have much faith in Jaune's ability to help him. However after the display with Melanie as well as Jaune's own argument he hoped that it would be enough to convince Tukson that this was the best option. That it was his only option if he wanted a chance to live.

"Pretty much," Jaune agreed.

Two minutes had to have passed by now. Melanie must have known that he was making progress, however. It was the only reason she had not resumed her own method of extracting information from their prisoner.

He was close. He knew it. Just a little more.

"Fine. I'll tell you what I know. On one condition."

 _Yes!_ his mind screamed in victory.

"Get me out of Vale."

Excitement quickly plummeted. Get him out of Vale? Impossible.

Jaune had only a couple hundred lien to his name. It was what remained from his Beacon transcript fund. Lien he had thankfully not had to use since Junior had agreed to the recon mission as payment. Still, it was not enough money to arrange for transport out of Vale. Neither by air nor by sea.

Maybe that wouldn't have to be the case though. Maybe Tukson would only want to go to one of the border villages down south. A land transport would be a little cheaper. Maybe, just maybe, he would be able to cover the expense.

Only one way to find out. "Where do you want to go?"

"Vacuo. I need a fake passport and a ticket to Vacuo. They'll know if I use my own and they'll come for me." He took a deep breath. "If you can do that then I'll tell you everything."

It was out of the question. Jaune didn't have that kind of lien. He didn't have the capabilities to do so either. Where was he even going to find someone to fake a...

 _Transcripts._

The answer hit him as hard as Melanie's boot had the other day. Asking Junior for protection was one thing. Asking the man for a fake passport was quite another. It required no lasting commitment. It was something which he might just be able to afford with his remaining lien. If he couldn't then he would gladly work extra jobs for the man to make up the difference.

Filled with a new sense of purpose and confidence Jaune stood up straight and firm before the man. He could do this. He knew it. "Done."

It was clearly not the answer Tukson had been expecting. He probably assumed his demands would be too much for a trio of teenagers. However, Jaune and the Malachite twins were anything but average teenagers.

"Done?"

"Done?" Melanie echoed.

"You heard me," Jaune said. He felt like he was on top of the world. He had done it before, after all. Forging a passport and purchasing a boat ticket would be easy compared to faking transcripts for one of the world's premier combat schools.

"But how?" the man asked.

"You let me worry about that. I'll get you that ticket and passport. You have my word. And like I said before, I never go back on my word."

It had to work. If it didn't then Tukson was as good as dead. If he didn't talk he would be left to the mercy of Melanie. The end of his day would be a lot worse than having a little bit of makeup smeared on his face like Jaune had experienced all those weeks ago.

"Okay," the man relented. "I'll tell you. What do you want to know?"

Jaune felt a chill run down his spine. He had done it. He had actually done it. He had saved a man's life.

He was a hero... and he wasn't even a huntsman.

However he was not about to let himself get caught up in the moment. His negotiation had been successful and it was time to capitalize on it. "Okay. Let's start off by knowing who you think is going to try and kill you."

Tukson licked his lips. For long seconds he sat there. There was still obvious hesitation. Finally though he took a breath and spoke. "The White Fang."

The words cut through him like a blade.

The White Fang? The faunus terrorist organization he had heard about before on the news? Jaune could remember hearing stories of protests which had turned violent. He could remember hearing about bombings of government buildings. About kidnappings and assassinations in the kingdom of Atlas. These were the people who Tukson feared?

He was a faunus. Did this mean he was a part of the group?

"The White-fucking-Fang," Melanie said in disbelief. "Are you kidding me?"

The man shook his head. "No."

"Fuck," she breathed softly.

For once Jaune couldn't blame the girl for her liberal use of expletives. He was feeling that way inside too.

He admittedly didn't know much about the organization. What he did know however was that they were serious about their cause. They fought for equality. For faunus rights. They did so by any means necessary. They were not shy about spilling blood.

And now Jaune was about to get right in the middle of that mess.

He wanted to back out. He really did. It was way above his pay grade. He had expected to deal with the creatures of Grimm as a huntsman. He had expected to deal with rowdy drunks and troublemakers working at Junior's club. But terrorists? The White Fang? That was dangerous work. Deadly work. Humans who wanted you dead were a lot different than Grimm.

He was terrified.

However before he could utter a word of doubt Melanie spoke once more. "What about Roman? What does this have to do with him?"

"Everything," Tukson said. "He and the White Fang are working together."

Jaune exhaled. He was shaking. This was getting far too real. Far too serious. Infamous criminals. A terrorist organization. Mob style beatings. This wasn't what he had envisioned when he had agreed to work for Junior.

Going home suddenly seemed like a really good idea.

For the first time in a long while it was Miltia who spoke. "Melanie," she said softly. "The new player in town."

A look of realization formed on the other girl's face as her eyes went wide. "No..."

Jaune didn't know what that meant. However if it was enough to scare Melanie he knew that it was bad.

"Fuck," she said again. "Fuck!" She smashed a boot into one of the bookshelves that still stood in the shop. It fell to the floor without complaint from Tukson. His silence did nothing to spare him from the girl's wrath, however, as she quickly turned her attention to him. "You!" she screamed as she pointed a finger accusingly at him. "You're part of those psychos aren't you! You brought the fucking White Fang into Vale!"

"I didn't bring anyone. They were already here."

Jaune knew that Tukson wasn't at fault here. He knew that Melanie knew as well. However taking one's anger out on a scapegoat was always easier than the truth.

The older girl's hands were on her head as she paced the room. Jaune couldn't believe what he was seeing. She hadn't even been this discomposed on the night they first met. "I can't believe this. I can't believe we're going to have to fight the White Fang."

"Maybe we won't," Miltia offered. "Maybe we can work something out."

"Work something out? They already trashed the club once! They started a fucking war and you wanna try and work something out?"

Was she right? Was the White Fang responsible for what had happened to Junior's club on the night he had arrived for his transcripts? If so then that was likely only a preview of what was to come.

Melanie moved back over to Tukson and grabbed his collar. "Why did the White Fang attack Junior? Trying to take out the competition? Was Roman a part of it?"

"I don't know anything about that," he answered. "I swear. We never talked about Junior at any of the meetings."

"What meetings?"

"We have meetings every few weeks," Tukson explained. "Sometimes to recruit new members. Sometimes to discuss plans. We never talked about Junior though."

Melanie seemed to accept the answer. Or maybe her mind was too scattered to think that he was lying. "When's the next one?"

"Two weeks. It's why... it's why those guys were in back with me."

"What did they want with you?"

"I hadn't been to the last couple meetings. They came to... encourage me to attend the next one."

Jaune didn't like the way he had phrased that. His mind once more went to the old mafia movies. Encourage was a nice way of saying "threaten".

Still though, if the White Fang was as fanatical as the media portrayed them why would one of its members have to be threatened into attending their meetings? "Why haven't you been going to them?" Jaune asked.

Tukson sighed. "When I first joined I thought it was about getting our voice out there. I thought it would be about boycotts. Peaceful protests. To make people know that there was a problem in the world that needed to be fixed."

That made sense. While Jaune had never experienced faunus racism firsthand he had heard about it. There had been an entire war fought over equal rights after all. A war which his family had taken part in on the losing side.

"But it wasn't what I thought it would be," the man continued, his tone darkening. "It wasn't about equality anymore. It was about revenge. It was about hate. It's not what I had signed up for. But once you're in... it's impossible to get out. Not when you know the things you know. When you've seen the things you've seen."

Jaune understood now. "So they'll kill you if you try and run. That's why you need the fake passport. Why you need to get out of Vale."

Tukson nodded grimly. "Yes."

The thought of such a life was horrifying. He couldn't imagine being trapped in such a situation for making one mistake in his life. He had made plenty. Most recently had been his attempt to attend Beacon Academy. What if the penalty had been death? It was essentially what Tukson's fate was. Either stay with the White Fang and do who knows what, or be hunted down as a traitor.

Jaune didn't know how they would find him. He didn't know if they even could. However Tukson thought so. What Tukson believed to be true was all that mattered to the man. It would be what shaped his decisions. Therefore Jaune would have to operate under the assumption that what the man said would happen would indeed happen.

"Okay," he said. He knew in that moment that his voice was shakier than it had been before. Since the revelation of the White Fang being involved with this he suddenly felt a lot less brave. However he had given the man his word, and an Arc never went back on their word. "We'll do it then. I know someone who can make you a fake ID and passport. I'll get them to you as soon as I can."

Tukson laughed again. This time however it sounded less phony. "You really are serious," he said. He was unable to keep the astonishment from his voice.

Of course he was. Huntsman or not he was going to help this man. If he couldn't save one person then what kind of a man was he? What kind of a pathetic excuse for a huntsman would he have been?

"Where's the meeting?"

Jaune turned to look at Melanie who moved to stand beside him now. She glared down at Tukson, perfectly complimenting Jaune's own "good cop" persona flawlessly. Even if she didn't know she was doing so.

"I don't know," he admitted. "They don't tell us ahead of time for security reasons. They send us messages on our scrolls only a couple hours ahead of time. That way if anyone does snitch there's less chance of it being an ambush."

It wasn't a flawless technique but Jaune supposed it was better than nothing. Still, why did Melanie wish to know the location?

"On your own scroll, right?" she asked. "Not some stupid burner thingy or something?"

"Right." He turned back to look at Jaune. "I don't suppose you could get me a new scroll too, could you?"

He didn't know, but he could try. "I'll look into it." He felt so cool saying things like that. He felt like he was a true badass with sources and contacts. Tukson didn't know that he was just a scared teenager who was in way over his head. But the man trusted him. There was no reason to break that illusion now. Not when it wouldn't do anyone any good at this point.

Tukson seemed to accept the answer. "Anything else you want to know?"

Jaune couldn't think of anything. However Melanie chose to answer in his place. "You're taking us to the meeting then."

Jaune spun around to look at her. "What?"

Miltia seemed to share his sentiments if her voice was anything to go by. "Melanie we can't."

"We can and we are," she said firmly. For someone as young as her she spoke with the authority of a seasoned military commander. "Those fuckers are moving in on our turf. We'll show them that Junior isn't someone that they wanna mess with."

No. This could not be happening. Melanie might have been a little reckless. She might have been a little bitchy. But Jaune could not believe she was considering something as crazy as going up against a real terrorist organization.

"Think about what you're saying," Jaune said softly. "These guys... they kill people."

"Yeah, and they're gonna try and kill us next," she said darkly. "For all we know they already did."

"You mean her?" Miltia asked.

Jaune didn't know who she meant by that, but Melanie seemed to both know and agree. "Yeah. Probably a fucking cow faunus by the look of those utters on her chest."

He may have been lost in this conversation, but it didn't change any of the facts. "Still... you don't have to go looking for a fight. This isn't your job."

"And what about you, my _little huntsman?_ " The last two words were spoken with such venom that Jaune briefly thought that she believed him to be her enemy. "If you had made it into Beacon wouldn't this be your job or whatever? Protecting the innocent people and all that shit? Or are you just a good little dog who only does what he's told like the rest of the huntsmen?"

He had no words to counter her there. All of his life he had wanted to be the big hero. To be the man who saved the innocent people of Remnant from the creatures of Grimm. However in the end did it matter who you saved people from as long as you still saved them? Was there a difference between saving a family from a Beowolf or from a terrorist? In reality there wasn't. He knew that. Even if he didn't want to admit it.

"I'm going to that meeting," she continued. "And I'm gonna fuck up all those little bitches who think they're tough guys because they can run around with a mask on at night." Her eyes drifted over to regard Tukson in his chair. "If they're anything like this guy it'll be a breeze."

The look in her eyes told him that she was deathly serious. He glanced over to where Miltia stood. "You're going with her I take it?"

The younger twin nodded wordlessly. He had expected no less.

Melanie placed a hand on his chest when she spoke next. "It's up to you whether or not you're coming with. I can't force you. Maybe it's not the kind of thing that a cook like you should be doing."

As much as he had become used to hearing insults from Melanie, this one still hurt. Maybe after today that's really all she saw him as. If he couldn't hang with them in their world, he was just a cook to the girl.

"We'll be back, Tukson," she said as she started to make her way towards the door. Miltia was right behind her. "A little less than two weeks. Try and get this place cleaned up by then, 'kay?"

The soft jingle of the door sounded and they were gone. Jaune sighed and looked at the sight around him. It wouldn't take two weeks to clean the place up, but it was a disaster. He couldn't imagine how much lien it would cost to replace the broken furniture. He didn't know how many ruined books would need to be thrown out.

It reminded him of the night he had first met the twins.

"Do you have scissors or something?"

Tukson nodded. "Top drawer behind the counter."

Jaune went around in search for the item. It took a few seconds, but soon enough he was getting to work in cutting through the duct tape which Miltia had used. A few seconds more and the man was free.

"I'm sorry about them," he offered. "I... I didn't expect this to happen when I came here today."

"You and me both."

What followed was perhaps the most uncomfortable silence Jaune had ever experienced. For good reason too. He didn't know if the girls were outside waiting for him or if they had gone ahead without him. He was torn on what he wanted. Most of him wanted them to be gone already.

This was the world he was in now. This was the world which Miltia had said was not for everyone. Originally he had thought it was because she believed he was weak. He had taken offense to the girl's warning. Now though... now he knew the truth. He knew that she had nothing but the best intentions for him.

He needed to do some thinking. A lot of it. It was a good thing he had two weeks to do so.

Jaune was about to leave when he passed by the shelf with the comics on it. The one near the front of the store he had been standing next to when the brawl began. He saw the issue of X-Ray and Vav still sitting where he had left it.

Grabbing the comic once again he brought it back to where Tukson now stood. "I... um. I'd like to buy this comic still."

The tension in the room was palpable. All of this had happened because of the stupid book. He had no idea whether or not Tukson would even sell it to him. Jaune was happy when he did.

"Four lien."

Jaune nodded. Reaching down into his pocket he fished out his wallet and began looking through what he had. He didn't have four single notes. "Uh... here," he said handing the man a five lien note. "You can keep the change."

He felt so stupid saying it. Like one extra lien would make any sort of a difference. However he wasn't about to be stingy at a time like this. Not when Tukson's shop looked like it did.

To his credit the man nodded in appreciation. "Thanks."

Not another word was spoken. Jaune turned and stepped back outside into the bright daylight.

The girls were nowhere to be seen.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Many thanks go out to all those who are reading and reviewing.

Jaune's finally getting a taste of the "wild side". Hence the name of the story. Where does he go from here though? Can his idealistic nature mesh with this world?

As always if you have any questions or comments feel free to leave them in a review or PM.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter.


	11. Chapter 11

Darkness. Panic. Terror.

She felt as though her heart was going to burst inside her chest.

Miltia could hear them getting closer. The howls were sending chills down her spine. Time was running out. They were coming.

So it was that the people were being herded onto the trains like little more than animals. To the approaching creatures they may as well have been cattle waiting for the slaughter. So many had already died. So many would not be saved. There simply wasn't enough room. Even she knew that.

The darkness of the cavern was suffocating. Buildings stood without power to turn on their lights. Resource lines had been cut. Things like running water were an afterthought now. This was an evacuation. The first and only priority was getting out alive before they arrived.

Miltia hugged her sister close to her hoping that the familiar presence of her twin might stop her from shaking. It did not. All it did was enable her to feel Melanie's own body tremble. It was alright though. They were close. They were so close. The line which had moved agonizingly slow had nearly delivered them to their salvation. They would be next aboard the train. They would be able to escape.

Where were the huntsmen? Why weren't they stopping the attack? It made no sense. Things like this weren't supposed to happen.

The person in front of her stepped aboard the train car. He had to move in sideways and suck his gut in as much as he possibly could to squeeze inside. It was packed. Little more than a can of human sardines. There was no room for movement. Barely enough room to breathe. No possible way for anyone else to embark.

"Girls," she heard her mother say from behind her. A gentle touch became a firm shove as she felt a hand on her back.

She didn't let go of Melanie as she turned around. "Mommy?"

"Get on the train," the raven-haired woman told her.

How? There was no room? Certainly not enough for the three of them and their father.

She didn't voice her objection. She could barely speak. Neither could Melanie. All she could do was stare up at her parents with fearful eyes.

The next voice she heard was her father's. A normally smooth baritone was filled with something resembling a mixture of anger and desperation as he reached his arms out into the train car. "Move!" he yelled to the people inside as he began shoving them in deeper.

"Get in now before the doors close," her mother implored. The hand on her back gave a final shove into the train car where her father had created a tiny pocket of air. Small enough for two little girls to fit inside.

They were in now. They had made it aboard the train. Her mother and father on the other hand remained outside.

Miltia was too terrified to speak. However her mother seemed to know what she was thinking when she spoke. "Your dad and I will be right behind you on the next train," she said reassuringly. "Look after your sister, Miltia. Don't let her out of your sight." Her eyes turned to the girl beside her. "And you do the same, Melanie. Do you understand?"

Both girls nodded wordlessly. Everything would be alright.

"I love you," her mother and father both seemed to say at once.

In an instant the scenery was different. They were back outside. The other people were gone. She only had Melanie next to her. She held onto her older twin's hand like her life depended on it. She knew it did.

Darkness engulfed her vision. The howls returned. They were coming. They had nowhere to go. Where were her parents?

Miltia turned to realize that Melanie had vanished. She hadn't even felt the other girl let go of her hand. Where was she? Where was everyone?

Another sound joined the howling. A low rumbling which sounded like thunder filled the cavern. Even in the darkness she could see the ceiling beginning to cave in. Rocks fell, smashing noiselessly onto the ground.

Where was Melanie? She needed to find her. They had to run.

As she spun around she realized that she had reached a dead end. The cavern would go no further. The only way she could go was back toward the howling. Back to where the cavern was caving in.

The ceiling began to collapse above her.

The rocks were about to hit her.

* * *

Miltia woke up with a startled breath.

She could feel a tightness in her chest. Her heart was racing.

Closing her eyes she did the best she could to calm down. Miltia took in a deep breath through her nose before exhaling through her mouth. She did so over and over again in the darkness that she knew was her room and not the cavern from ten years earlier.

She continued the process for another couple of minutes before opening her eyes again. The dim light from outside of her window allowed her to barely make out some of the details of the room. She was safe. She knew it. No rocks would crush her. No Grimm would tear her apart. Melanie was alive and well. Knowing her the girl was probably passed out drunk in her own room.

Feeling a dampness on her pillow, Miltia sat up before running a hand along the back of her neck. There was a hint of sweat on her skin that hadn't soaked into the fabric yet. She hated how cliché it was. Like she was in some sort of horror movie and had just been jarred awake from a terrible nightmare.

It was a more accurate statement than she cared to admit. She had lived through a real life horror movie.

She laid back down against the pillow with a frustrated sigh. "Fuck," she breathed out in the darkness.

Reaching over to the small table beside her bed she felt around for her scroll. Bringing it close to her face she woke it from its own slumber. The bright light of the screen made her wince in sudden pain. It was a little bit after two in the morning. She had barely been able to get two hours of sleep before being woke by that stupid nightmare.

She could still feel her heart pounding in her chest. No amount of breathing exercises would stop it. Only time. It pissed her off. She knew that she wouldn't be able to fall asleep anytime soon tonight.

Sitting up and moving so that her legs hung off the side of the bed, she let her feet drift over to where her slippers sat on the floor. She needed to do something. She needed to take her mind off of this. Perhaps she would take a page out of Melanie's book.

Clad in the usual red tank top and grey sweat pants she slept in, Miltia made her way downstairs. She had expected to find the place empty. She didn't know if she should feel fortunate or disappointed that it was not.

Junior stood behind the bar looking down at his scroll. Even without the clicking sound of her heels he heard her approach and looked up. His face was neutral as he greeted her. "You're up late."

She frowned as she took a seat at the bar in front of him. "So are you."

"Yeah, but I'm always up late," he explained. "Plus we're opening back up in a couple days. Gotta make sure everything's ready for that."

Miltia hummed in agreement. Life would soon be normal again. Business would start back up. Lien would flow in. The good life would be returned to her and Melanie.

Looking around she saw a clear bottle sitting next to Junior. It was half empty, and she didn't know if he was the cause of that or if he had chosen an already opened bottle to partake in tonight. He didn't appear to be intoxicated. Then again he could hold his liquor even better than Melanie.

"What are you drinking?" she asked, pointing at the bottle.

"Mistrali Blue Label."

It was a good brand of scotch. One of the most expensive too. Junior loved scotch. He would only drink the best, and Mistral seemed to make just that. It was a kingdom known for its luxuries and decadence. A kingdom known for a criminal underworld that such markets bred. It was where Junior hailed from.

"Pour me some?" she asked.

He frowned at her, but grabbed another small glass from behind the counter. "A little late to be drinking isn't it?"

Maybe. But it wasn't like she was going to be getting back to sleep anytime soon.

She shrugged in response as the glass was set down in front of her. Junior filled it up about halfway with the amber liquid. That drink alone would cost one of the club's patrons about thirty lien. Mistrali Blue Label was indeed too expensive for most people out there. However she was not most people. She was getting it for free. One of the perks of the job.

A perk that they all needed from time to time.

Miltia took a sip of the drink, trying to savor the taste as it went down her throat. She wouldn't simply down it like Melanie might have in order to try and get drunk as quickly as possible.

It was gone quicker than she had expected it to be. Annoyingly quick. It hadn't seemed like she had taken so many sips, but sure enough she stared down at an empty glass. She looked back up to Junior. "More."

That grumbling noise he made so much in the place of words sounded in the back of his throat. He complied nonetheless, and soon enough her glass was filled once more with the expensive drink.

"Thanks."

"I didn't realize that Melanie cut her hair short," he said offhandedly.

Miltia's eyes narrowed as she looked up at him. "Melanie's not the only one who's allowed to drink," she said defensively.

"No," he agreed. "But she is the only one who uses it as a crutch."

She didn't respond to the statement. She knew it to be true as much as he did. Melanie was broken. Just like she was.

Both had their ways of coping with their past. Both had symptoms of a problem which lay in their minds. Miltia had nightmares. Melanie drank away her issues. Everyone knew it no matter how much the girl tried to deny it. However her older sister could not hide that truth from her no matter how much she tried. It was impossible with the Semblance that they shared.

"It's not like you to be down here this late drinking," he continued.

So what? Like she had said, Melanie wasn't the only one who could drink. "Whatever," she whispered harshly.

He grunted at the word. Junior could always brush off any kind of abrasive behavior from both her and Melanie. Other people might have reacted poorly to her demeanor. He knew them both too well to ever be offended by them.

His tone lightened as much as his gruff voice would let it. "Was it the usual one?"

Miltia hated when he sounded concerned like that. She wasn't a kid anymore. She wasn't the little girl in tears he had found clutching her sister's hand at the train station. The two girls who had lost everything on that day but each other.

"Yeah," she replied simply.

Another grunt, this time of acknowledgement. He knew the one. She had shared her nightmares with him when she had still been a child. She didn't have parents anymore to talk about them with. She didn't want to burden Melanie with them either. Junior had for all intents and purposes become her legal guardian after that day. Like an uncle who was caring for the children of his deceased sibling.

He refilled her drink once again. Both knew it wasn't a healthy way to cope with their problems. However it was the only way they knew how. It had served them well for years now. Even before she and Melanie had been old enough to legally drink.

They sat in silence for a while before Junior spoke again. "Stress will trigger nightmares sometimes," he said like some sort of wise sage. Maybe in a few decades when he was a wrinkled old man he could grow his white beard out and play the role more accurately. "And we've been under a lot of stress lately."

She nodded in agreement. First the club. Now the White Fang. He had not taken the news well.

However he had showed no fear. Junior was a former huntsman. He had battled against both the creatures of Grimm and people before. He wasn't afraid of getting his hands dirty when it came to those fanatics. He would protect what was his. He would protect her and Melanie. Even if they claimed they didn't need protecting anymore.

It wasn't just the stress of the White Fang, however. Miltia could still remember those blue eyes that had stared at her the previous day. Eyes filled with shock and horror. Eyes that she could still feel judging her even at this moment.

She shoved the glass back over toward Junior. "More."

He complied once more without complaint. It didn't stop him from commenting though. "Are you sure I'm not talking to Mel right now?"

Miltia stared down at the glass in front of her. The last thing she wanted to do was develop a drinking habit like her sister. This would only be a one night thing. She just needed to calm down. Like Junior had said, she was under a lot of stress. The club. The White Fang. The nightmare. The boy.

"Are you sure it's any of your business?" she snapped.

She immediately felt a twinge of guilt after she spoke. It wasn't Junior's fault that he was concerned over her. He wanted what was best for her. He had ever since the day they met.

"It was a bad day for a lot of people," he said, ignoring her little outburst. She was thankful for that. He understood her on a level that only Melanie herself surpassed. "But you have to remember it could have turned out a lot worse. You and Melanie made it out alive."

She nodded again. Her eyes were locked onto the amber liquid as she spoke. "Only because of you."

So many people hadn't made it out. So many people weren't lucky enough to have run into one of the few huntsmen who were down there. If she and Melanie had been anyone else he probably would have overlooked them. He hadn't though. Somehow, by some stroke of luck, he had passed by two crying little girls who were lost and without any hope of escaping on their own. Despite their parent's best efforts of getting them to safety they still would have died eventually if not for Junior.

"You know she's lucky to have you, right?"

Miltia shrugged.

"I don't think she would have made it long without you," he added.

"You could say the same about me."

"Maybe. And maybe that's why your Semblances came out the way they did."

There were tales of pseudoscience which spoke of twins sharing some sort of psychic link with one another. According to some, twins had an uncanny ability to finish each other's sentences or even feel the other's pain and emotions over long distances. There were also stories of twins sharing the same Semblance. Both of these turned out to be true for the Malachite sisters.

It was useful in a fight to be able to sense the intentions and emotions of her sister. Melanie was able to do the same with her. In combat it made them able to operate perfectly in sync, constantly anticipating one another's next move and even silently warning the other of a danger that the girl could not see herself. To anyone else it looked like well-choreographed practice. To them it was simply instinct.

However the downside came that both girls were at times completely helpless in being able to hide their stronger emotions and desires from one another. When it came to powerful feelings and sensations her mind may as well have been an open book to Melanie, just as Melanie's was to her.

This shared empathy had come at a price. Their Semblances had emerged following the loss of their parents. From the fear of losing each other. The fear of being left alone in the dark.

Thankfully they had been found before that could happen.

Miltia was still filled with guilt over how she had spoken to Junior a minute ago. "I don't say this enough, Hei," she said softly. "But thank you."

He shrugged off the appreciation. It wasn't like him to get emotional. "No need to thank me for making the right call." He paused as he looked down at his own drink. "Or for giving me something real to care about once I stepped away from that shit."

Miltia knew why he had stepped away from the life of a huntsman. She hadn't found out until years later when they had asked him. That incident had been the final straw. The thing which had finally pushed his disillusioned mind past the breaking point.

The truth was that being a huntsman wasn't as glamorous as some people made it seem. They weren't heroes. They were pawns. They were dogs of the kingdom. They went where they were told. They did what they were told. Even if it meant costing thousands of people their lives.

Costing her parents their lives.

Her mind drifted to the boy who had so desperately wanted to be a huntsman. She could still remember the anger that she had felt when he had first said the words. She knew that Melanie had felt the same way. That anger was why she taunted him with that nickname she used so often. He had no idea. No fucking idea. To him it was about being a hero and helping people. Junior had told her otherwise. Junior had revealed the darker side of what it meant to be a huntsman.

After another sip from her glass the taste was starting to become more muted. She was used to it by now. Perhaps it was affecting her in more ways than one. "Hei," she said.

"Hmm?"

"What do you think of Jaune?"

The man sighed, pressing his hands up against the bar and leaning against it. It seemed to her that he was deep in thought as he stared down at the wooden counter. "You mean as a person?"

She shrugged. "I guess."

Junior grunted an acknowledgement. "Young. Idealistic." He paused for a few seconds before continuing. "Naive."

His assessment seemed about right. Miltia knew since the first time they had met that he had a little hero complex going on inside his head. She wondered what it was that he thought about the path he chose now. After everything he had witnessed.

"He wants to be a hero but doesn't know anything about the world," he continued. "He doesn't know what the heroes have to do sometimes in order to keep people safe."

"Like Mountain Glenn," Miltia said knowingly.

"Like Mountain Glenn," he echoed.

It was a sobering memory. So many people had died. So many heroes had been absent. Thankfully Junior had been there. He had been her and Melanie's hero.

"Why do you want to know?"

"Dunno," she lied.

He didn't buy it. Junior pulled her glass closer to him and filled it up again. She could tell it was more than just a courtesy. Drinks like this loosened the tongue.

"How about you?" he asked. "What do you think of him?"

Too many things to tell tonight, she knew. From the first day when he had cared for her hand the way he had she thought he was different. He wasn't like the usual trash she associated with. He wasn't like Junior either. He hadn't been tainted by this world. By this life. By doing the kinds of things she and her sister had to do to stay on top. The things needed to stay alive.

Maybe it was the alcohol. Or maybe she just had to get it off her chest. Whatever it was she said two words she hadn't planned on saying only moments ago. "I'm scared."

Her answer garnered the full attention of Junior this time. He pocketed his scroll before he spoke again. "Of what?"

Again, too many things. Where did she begin? There was no good place to begin, so she just went with the first thing that came to mind. "Did you know that I cooked the other day?"

To Junior it probably felt like she was changing the subject. It wouldn't be the first time.

"You?" he asked incredulously. "Don't bullshit me, Miltia."

"I did! I helped make those omelets."

Junior snorted a small laugh. "Did you now."

"Mhmm."

"They were good."

She might have thanked him for the compliment if she had actually done a lot of the work. The truth was that she just cut up a few of the ingredients. Not alone either.

"He made me do it," she continued.

"Jaune?"

"Mhmm."

Junior didn't respond. Whenever the two of them were alone it made for some awkward moments. Neither talked much. Usually it was Melanie who held things together. Her loudmouth and obnoxious sister had her uses. She was the glue that held many conversations together.

Miltia licked her lips before finishing her thought. "And..." she started hesitantly. "I let him make me."

It was an contradiction, but it was true. She hadn't wanted to do it at all. Yet despite her protests she had still allowed it to happen.

Junior closed his eyes as he let out a breath. "Fuck."

She gave him a curious look. "Huh?"

"Nothing. Forget about it."

Miltia frowned but let it go. She had more important things on her mind anyway. "Hei, it felt normal."

"Normal?"

She nodded. "Yeah. He's so normal."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"I dunno."

"Is that what scares you?"

One of the things. She shrugged. "Maybe." He was normal. She wasn't. They came from opposite worlds. He came from a world she could never be a part of. "When I'm with him I can pretend to be normal too."

She knew that's all it was though. Pretend. The time they spent together at the club was a lie. Walking together in downtown Vale was a lie. Looking at his comic book together was a lie. It may have been who he was, but it wasn't who she was.

He had seen who she was with Tukson. Blue eyes which had looked at her teasingly in the kitchen had turned fearful in that book store.

"Normal's overrated," Junior said. She knew he was trying to make her feel better the only way he knew how.

However she didn't think normal was overrated. Jaune had a family. A loving family. Parents and sisters. He had stories about those sisters braiding his hair and covering his face in makeup.

Miltia on the other hand had stories of her sister passing out drunk at the bar or kicking the crap out of wannabe thugs in the alleys of Vale.

No. Normal was not overrated. Normal was something she wanted. Something that she would never have. Not when her hands were as red as her favorite dress.

"You wanted to know what I think of him?" she asked.

He grunted an affirmation. Having his full attention like this was a little bit unnerving. She didn't like being the center of attention. That was more Melanie's forte. She felt so small again. Just like she had when she had poured her heart out to Junior about her nightmares all those years ago.

She hated it.

"I think he's sweet," she said softly. "Innocent. He's... normal. He's not a part of our world. He doesn't fit in here. Fucking Melanie..." She shook her head at the memory of her sister coming up with the idea of Jaune working for Junior. Her fingers drifted to the glass which she began to bounce back and forth lightly. "I'm scared something bad will happen to him. But I think I'm more scared that he's going to not be normal anymore."

Silence fell over the room once more. Only the light sound of fingernails on glass could be heard as it danced in Miltia's fingers. Soon enough she decided to down the drink in one go, uncaring of the scotch's cost or quality.

She set it back down on the counter harder than she had wanted to, motioning Junior for a refill. He answered the call without hesitation.

"And you wanna know what else I'm afraid of?" she continued. "I'm fucking scared that he's going to hate me."

Miltia brought a hand up to wipe away the moisture that had begun forming in her eyes. She wished that she could say it was from the burning sensation in her throat, but that had become numb some time ago.

"Why would he hate you?"

She shook her head lightly. "Because he saw what we do," she explained. "He saw me and Melanie with that book store guy."

She hadn't wanted him to see it. The other side of her. The truth about working for Junior. What it took to stay on top of Vale's criminal underworld.

In their world the only language that was universally understood was violence. Intimidation and beatings were a way of life. She never had to go any further than that. She never wanted to. However the risk was always there. If someone out there threatened the lives of her or the people she cared about she would not hesitate to kill them.

That was what Jaune saw in her now. The thought was heart-wrenching.

"Hei... I don't want him to become like me. But I don't want him to hate me either. What should I do?"

She brushed away another tear with her thumb. As soon as she had she felt something soft press up against her arm. Junior had given her a small white towel that might have normally been used to wipe down the bar.

She dabbed her eyes with it. Stupid alcohol. How was Melanie able to keep her shit together when she got wasted?

"Thanks," she whispered.

Junior nodded.

"Look what he's doing to me," she said bitterly. "I'm crying like some stupid fucking school girl at the thought of a boy hating me. I'm fucking pathetic."

"No," Junior disagreed. "You're drunk."

She scoffed at his words. "How would you even know?"

"Because I don't think I've ever seen you talk so much on your own before. Not since you were little."

Look at him talking like he was her father. She thought about saying some stupid cliché line about him not being her dad.

Miltia pushed the empty glass away from her. It was a statement for the world to see that she didn't want any more to drink. "You can't tell Melanie about this."

Junior chuckled softly. "Your secret is safe with me, Mil."

She knew it would be. It was one thing which allowed him to stand out from a lot of the other criminals out there. His word was as good as gold. It helped to have that sort of reputation when dealing with other organizations.

"So what do I do?" she asked again.

He shrugged. "I don't know. What do you want to do?"

She scowled at him. "So not helpful."

"Well what do you want me to say?"

"I dunno. Aren't you supposed to be like, the wise bartender or whatever? You're supposed to have all the answers."

Maybe he wasn't so sagely after all. He'd be a shitty sage, now that she thought about it. Screw the long white beard.

"Sorry to disappoint," he said sarcastically. "My therapist training begins and ends at drinking."

"Guess that's why Melanie turned out the way she did," she joked.

It may have been a joke made in poor taste, but right now her filter was gone. Still though, she recognized it after the fact. The last thing she wanted was to have Junior think that she blamed him for Melanie being a drunk.

"That came out wrong," she mumbled to him.

"I know," he smiled. "It's okay."

The towel resting atop the counter looked so soft and appealing. She felt like she could just lay her head down right here and now and fall back into a blissful sleep.

She suddenly felt something on her back. "Mil?" A soft mewl escaped her lips as she looked back to see Junior standing behind her. "Need some help back to your room?"

She nodded. "'Kay."

A set of powerful hands came to rest on her arm and back. "Do you want me to help? Or do you want me to get Jaune to help you?"

The room was spinning when she stood. "'Kay." She didn't even understand what he meant by that or why he had said it. She just wanted to go back to her soft and warm bed.

The remainder of the night was a blur of lights and steps before she collapsed face-first onto her mattress.

* * *

Ruby stared down at her scroll. She stared down at the "call" button.

 _Press the call button._

 _Press it._

She wasn't doing it.

 _Come on, Ruby,_ her mind raged. _Call him. You can do it._

Her fingers didn't move.

 _Press it. Press it press it press it press it press it press it press it press it._

She wanted to talk to him. He was her friend. It had been a while since they had spoken.

Life at Beacon made that difficult at times. Between her training, studies and having to lead a team she didn't have a lot of time to talk to the guy who had unfortunately not been allowed to attend with her. It was stupid. He didn't get in because of some flaw with his transcripts or something. Didn't the people in charge realize that the world needed all of the huntsmen that it could get? How could they just reject a prime candidate like Jaune over some error on his transcripts?

Her thumb continued to hover over her scroll. She knew why she was so hesitant to call. What would happen if a pair of raven-haired girls answered again? Who were they? Why did they seem so familiar and comfortable talking about Jaune. Why did the words one of them use seem so...

Ruby felt her face warm at the memory. That was none of her business. If Jaune was so much of a lady's man that he could appeal to two exotic beauties then good for him. Twins too! She wasn't as naive as Yang or so many others might have wanted to believe. She knew that some guys were into twins. Apparently those twins were into Jaune too.

She shook her head. He was still her friend. No amount of twins would ever change that. Like Jaune had said once, bonds forged on the battlefield were among the strongest in the world. They had fought together in Vale. Had those twins fought side by side with him? Doubtful. At least she had that over them.

It wasn't too late in the evening. He should still be up. He shouldn't be busy either. If he was, and some other person just happened to answer her call like the last time, she could just hang up. No one would ever need to know. No one. Ever. It would just be a secret between her and those girls. Those older, more mature girls with the piercing green eyes and smooth black hair.

No. She would not be intimidated by them. She was Ruby freakin' Rose, huntress extraordinaire! She had been allowed to attend Beacon two years earlier than her peers. She had battled against a massive Nevermore and Death Stalker with her team. She was even named the leader of it. Two girls would not stop her from talking to her friend.

Her thumb finally pressed down on the screen. This was it. No turning back now.

A soft ringing noise came from her scroll's speaker as it made an attempt to contact Jaune's own device. Seconds seemed to last forever. One ring. Two. Three. Finally after the fourth the screen changed. A face appeared on it.

Thankfully it was his.

The first thing she noticed was the surprised look in Jaune's eyes when he answered. "Ruby?"

The hard part was over now. She had successfully accomplished her mission to make contact with the boy. It almost felt as though it was a huntress mission in itself.

"Hey, Jaune!" she said as cheerfully as she could muster at the moment. "It's been a while. How's it going?"

He brought a hand up and scratched his cheek lightly. "It's uh, it's good," he said. "How have you been?"

"Um, pretty good." Mostly, anyway. She didn't want to dive straight into her own issues going on at Beacon.

"Yeah, I guess there's no complaints from someone living their dream, right?" Ruby saw how he winced after the statement. "Sorry, I didn't mean to try and make you feel sorry for me or anything."

She knew he wasn't. Despite only knowing him a few days in total, she knew that Jaune was a kind-hearted person. Most people didn't just jump into a brawl they see happening in the middle of the street. He was like her. He was all about protecting people.

"No no, I didn't even think about that at all!" she insisted.

There was a nervousness on his face. Was he anxious? Upset... busy?

Ruby coughed lightly as she looked away from the screen. "I'm not, uh, interrupting you with anything right?"

"Hmm? What would I even be-"

"No one! I mean nothing!" She groaned inwardly. _Smooth Ruby. Really smooth._

The confused expression on his face would have said it all without him even needing to speak. "Okay... but no, you aren't interrupting anything."

That was a relief. Not that she was against Jaune enjoying what he did in his personal time. In fact she was happy for him. He deserved all of the happiness in the world. Especially after his unfair treatment at Beacon.

"Okay. You just seemed surprised to see me, that's all. Like maybe you were in the middle of something." _And not in the middle of a twin sandwich,_ her mind screamed.

"Oh. Nope. Nothing going on here." This time it was he who glanced away as he spoke. "Honestly I kind of thought you'd forgotten all about me. It's been a few weeks since we talked and you've made a bunch of new friends at Beacon by now. I just sort of expected it."

He was wrong again. Her circle of friends was limited to her sister. The exact same amount it had been on the day she had arrived at school. Actually she was wrong. Jaune had been her friend on that day too. She was in fact down by one friend. It was a horrible realization to make.

Blake was... nice? She didn't really say much. Not even to her own partner. She was always polite and courteous, but just not very outgoing. It was difficult to make friends with someone who looked like they didn't want to be friends.

Then there was Weiss. The girl meant well. She really did. However the way she went about it was simply not a method that would earn her friends. Especially not her own partner. Not when Weiss treated her like a child.

She was not a child. She was a teenager, and she deserved the respect accorded that title.

"That's not true at all," she told him. "And, well, I did try calling you a few days ago. But..." _But those girls answered after getting... physical with you._

"You did? Huh. I didn't see that I got a call."

Ruby shifted uncomfortably. "Heh, yeah. I guess that'd do it."

"Well that's a relief. I guess." He paused for a moment as his eyes widened briefly. "Not that I'm saying I wanted you to be thinking about me all the time or anything. That'd be weird. So, um, what can I do for you?"

"Oh you know," she said innocently. "Just calling to see what's up. How you're doing. All that good stuff."

"Well, um, I got a job in Vale actually."

That was unexpectedly cool. Then again it was Jaune she was talking to here. He may have been given a bad break but he still managed to land on his feet. Beacon was missing out on what he could bring to the table.

"Really? What do you do?"

"I work at a club."

That's one job she hadn't expected him to be a fit for. Unexpectedly cool went to seriously freaking cool. "Wow. That sounds really fun. I bet you meet all kinds of pretty girls there too." She mentally slapped herself. _Stupid!_

His face showed signs of nervousness once more. "Heh, yeah. I guess. I'm kind of a bouncer there, you could say. So I suppose I'll be... dealing with a lot of people."

"A bouncer? That's so weird! Yang actually got into a bar fight a few weeks ago. You know how she is." _What are you talking about? He knew her for like a day._

"Wait, a bar fight? Seriously?"

"Yeah." _See how much he doesn't know her? And the award for most awkward girl in Remnant goes to..._ "She probably would have been happy if you had her back. Even though she did kick major butt by herself."

"I would have been happy to help her," he smiled. "And not just because she's your sister."

See? He was a good guy. He helped the helpless. Just like her. It's probably why they became friends right off the bat.

That, or her totally normal fascination with weapons and huntsmen.

A new thought crossed her mind. "You should tell me where you work! Yang likes clubs, and I'd love to hang out with you again. And since you're a bouncer there I know there's no way she'd get into another fight."

It was the perfect plan. She could see absolutely no downsides to it.

So why did he look so nervous again? "I, um, I don't know if that's a good idea."

Silver eyes narrowed at the screen in front of her. "Why's that?"

"Well we're kind of... renovating at the moment. We won't be open again for another couple days. It'll take some time to get all the kinks worked out. You know how it is."

She did know how it is. She knew all about it. Jaune didn't want her to meet his secret girlfriends. Why though? It wasn't like she was going to judge him or anything. Her own dad had dated two girls before... admittedly not at the same time. Actually the circumstances were absolutely nothing alike at all. In fact the only similarity they even had was the total number of men and women involved.

So yeah. Nothing in common. However Yang would still probably give him a high-five and buy him a drink.

"Oh, um, sure," she said. If he didn't want her to visit him at work she wouldn't be pushy. Being pushy is what Weiss did. She didn't want to be like Weiss.

"Hey, Ruby?" he asked.

She was snapped from her thoughts and focused back on the screen. "Yeah?"

"Can I ask you a question? A hypothetical one?"

"Sure."

The way he started to scratch his neck nervously made her hope that he wasn't about to ask for relationship advice. "What if while you're out being a huntress you have to hurt people. Not just Grimm. But bad people. Sometimes good people too. Do you think you'd be able to do it?"

The question hadn't been at all what she was expecting. For that she was thankful.

Truthfully she'd never even thought about it. To her being a huntress was about fighting and killing the creatures of Grimm. The idea of fighting against other humans wasn't one that really resonated with her. Sure, there was always the possibility it would happen. That's why they had the combat classes with Professor Goodwitch. However it always remained just a distant idea to her. Not an eventuality.

"I don't know," she answered truthfully. "I mean, I think so. When you're in a fight your brain just sort of turns off, you know? You fight on instinct. You fight who you have to in order to stay alive."

It was the best answer she could give on such short notice. She'd never have expected to hear it from Jaune of all people. It sounded more like an essay that she would have to write for school.

"Yeah. That makes sense." He seemed sad. Had she said something wrong?

"Why? Did you have to hurt someone being a bouncer?"

She knew she had struck a chord with that question. The way his eyes darted off to the side. The way his lips moved. "Well, no. Not yet. But I'm afraid that I might have to someday."

"Well don't forget that it's your job to protect other people," she explained. At least she thought that's what the job of a bouncer would be. She hadn't ever been to a club before. "If someone's in there causing trouble you have to kick them out so everyone else stays safe, right?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I guess. But they're not all bad people. What if some of them are good people who made one bad choice?"

One bad choice. Was that code for too much to drink? One drink too many? She supposed she could see his logic. Most people who got drunk and acted bad were good people. They just lost control of their senses and acted stupidly. It wasn't really their fault. They just made a bad choice.

She didn't know how to respond to the question. It was more philosophical than she was used to. It was the kind of thing that would be right up Blake's alley. Too bad Blake probably wouldn't like it if Ruby shoved a scroll in her face telling her to talk to Jaune.

"I guess you just have to think about... I don't know. The greater good?" She didn't really know if that would be a good enough answer. Probably best to try and say it better. "I mean like, think about all the people who might get hurt if you don't hurt one person. You're there to protect people at the club just like I'd be there to protect people as a huntress. If there was a person out there who wanted to hurt the people of Vale I don't think I'd feel bad about fighting them."

"How far do you think you could go, Ruby? Do you think you could kill another person if you had to?"

The words were chilling. Just what kind of a club did Jaune work at? Were the drunks there so rowdy that such a possibility might come up? She didn't like that. It didn't seem safe. Not at all. The last thing she wanted was for her friend to work a dangerous job.

Maybe checking the place out with Yang would be a good idea no matter how much he resisted it.

She would answer him honestly though. "I've never thought about it, really. It's something I don't want to think about. I think I'd try every option available to me to try and stop a bad gu- a criminal without killing him. But if he was threatening innocent people's lives... if he was threatening my teammate's lives..."

The thought of having to go that far was terrifying. To her being a huntress had always been about being a hero. About fighting monsters. About saving the day. She never really thought about what that might sometimes entail. Sometimes there might just be a person out there so bad and so dangerous that the only option was to kill them.

"Yeah," he said grimly. "Sometimes there is no good option."

She hated the way he said it, but it was true. Sometimes there wasn't a happy ending. Not everyone got to come back home alive.

Her mother didn't.

The conversation had taken a dark turn. One she hadn't been planning on. Her own issues with Weiss seemed trivial in comparison. She needed to know if her friend was okay.

"Jaune..." she said softly. "Is everything alright with you?"

He frowned. "I don't know." To Ruby that was worse than if he had just said 'no'. "I'm just thinking to myself, if I can't cut it here then what chance did I ever have at being a huntsman? If I can't make a hard decision at a club how could I do it out in the field? My dream, my lifelong dream, would have been meaningless."

She could understand that. While this conversation hadn't thrown her own morals and ideals into question, it certainly gave her some new insight to her job. If Jaune would not be able to do some of the things that she might someday be required to do, could he have succeeded in his huntsman career?

"I don't know what to say," she said somberly. It wasn't that she didn't want to help. She simply couldn't think of a way to respond to his plight.

"Yeah," he laughed darkly. "I don't blame you to be honest. It's kind of messed up."

Ruby hated the idea that he might think of his troubles as funny in any way. They weren't. Problems weren't something to laugh at. They had to be attacked head on. Preferably with the blade of a scythe.

"I, uh, I gotta go for now," he said. He sounded tired. "Thanks for listening though. If you wanna talk some more you can do it anytime. If not, well, I'd understand why after today."

A sudden surge of anger flooded her. Not because he was about to hang up on her, but because of how little value he seemed to place in himself. "Don't you ever say something like that!"

It surprised even herself just how loudly she had said those words. Thankfully no one else was around right now. The last thing she needed was them getting involved in this.

"What?"

"Don't you ever say that I wouldn't want to talk to you," she continued. "You are my friend, Jaune Arc. Nothing will ever change that. I don't care that you didn't get accepted into Beacon. I don't care if you're working at a club in Vale. You're my friend and there's nothing you can do about it!"

Perhaps it sounded a bit... stalkerish the way it had come out. However right now she didn't care. She needed Jaune to know he wasn't alone right now with whatever he was going through.

"I..." He stopped, his tone softening as he went on. "Thanks, Ruby. That means a lot to me. It really does."

She nodded her head emphatically. _Darn right it does!_

"I've just, I don't know. I've been having some second thoughts lately."

"Well stop it!" she said, as if giving that one single order would solve everything. "Jaune, you go and you do your job to the best of your ability. You have to protect people just like if you were a huntsman. That's how you have to think of it. If you do something for the right reasons then it can never be the wrong decision."

In that moment Ruby felt like she was the wisest woman in all of Remnant. She needed to write those words down. Maybe she'd even be able to use them on some sort of hypothetical future philosophy paper.

"You really think so?"

"I know so," she said with confidence. "You're a good person. You just keep being you and you'll do good in the world."

She was on a roll. Ruby Rose, professional motivational speaker. Life coach. All-around badass.

Jaune closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He nodded as he did so. "Thanks, Ruby. That really does help a lot. I'm happy that the two of us are still so close."

 _Helped more than your girlfriends could too apparently,_ her mind said victoriously. She may have been short but she was worth two women.

Would they be upset if someone else helped him? The last thing she wanted to do was get Jaune in trouble. "Um, nobody will be jealous of us talking like this, right? Of us being close?"

"Jealous?" he asked. The confusion on his face was evident.

"Uh..." was all she could think to say at the moment.

Luckily she didn't have to come up with anything more profound as Jaune brought a hand up to his face. "You called me before. When?"

Ruby couldn't exactly remember the date. "I dunno. Maybe a week ago?"

"A week ago..." he sighed. "When I left my scroll..."

He didn't finish his thought, and Ruby wondered where exactly it was that Jaune had left his scroll.

"A girl answered my scroll. Let me guess, long black hair?"

Oh no. This was bad. She had to abort the mission. She was going to cause trouble between Jaune and his... lady friends.

"Um, yes," she squeaked. Her former confidence had evaporated.

Jaune shook his head almost amusedly. "Of course it was her."

He didn't seem upset. That was good, right?

"Are you mad?" She wanted to know. She didn't want to be known as Ruby "the homewrecker" Rose.

"No, actually," he admitted. "Trust me. When you grow up in a household with seven sisters you learn that privacy doesn't exist. People answering your scroll just happens."

That was... good? She didn't know. It had to be if he wasn't upset or worried. The girl who had answered the phone might have actually been one of his sisters. Maybe that's why he seemed so okay with it. She didn't look a thing like him though. Then again Yang looked nothing like her either.

Maybe she was wrong to jump to such a conclusion. Maybe it had all been a harmless practical joke by the raven-haired girls.

Or maybe not. As long as Jaune was okay, however, she would be okay.

"But really, call me again soon," he continued. "You helped me out big time. I'm sorry that I have to go right now but there's some last minute work that needs to get done."

"Yeah. I understand."

"Thanks again. Talk to you soon?"

"Definitely."

He smiled. "See ya."

"Bye."

The scroll's screen went black and Ruby was once more alone.

He had seemed... better near the end. However she knew there was still something wrong.

Oh she would be seeing him again soon. Whether by scroll or in person she would see him.

It was only a matter of time.

* * *

This place stank.

The acidic stench of the dust he had stolen. The pungent smell of oil from the heavy machinery. The odor of the animals who occupied the place.

He didn't mean the rats either. Well, at least most of them weren't rats. He didn't care one way or another though. He wasn't one to discriminate. To him everyone was equal when it came to attaining his goals be they human or faunus.

Roman Torchwick was many things. Or at least he was called many things. A lowlife. A criminal. Gangster. Mercenary. Some out there had even called him a fallen huntsman. He never had confirmed nor denied that last accusation to the ones who uttered it. However out of all the names and adjectives he had accumulated over the years there was one that he had never been tagged with. Foolish.

Not one, not two, but three people had interfered in his heist. Two of them had been teenagers. Teenagers with weapons. Roman knew what it meant. He knew there was only one place in Vale which bred that sort of annoyance. What had a huntress and two of her little whelps been doing at that insignificant dust store?

It made no sense. Never before in any of his other jobs had an actual huntress interfered. The only ones who had ever tried to stand in his way had been the police. The simple-minded, predictable police. On this night they were nowhere to be seen until it was too late. Had they been tipped off by local hunters? Had they been told to stay back while Beacon's finest took care of the situation?

He supposed it didn't matter now. It was done and he had to plan out his next move. Securing all the dust he could get his hands on wouldn't be easy, after all. Not after this setback. If Beacon was sending out its people to help the local authorities he would need to take this more seriously.

It was a shame he had only one person he could reliably count on. A pair of those he could not had just walked through the door.

"Yo, boss," one of them said. The one with antlers on his head. He couldn't recall a name. Antler-man? Something like that. "Something you might wanna hear."

He spoke like a moron. He walked like one too. Roman knew he was just some low level street operative. Mindless muscle who used intimidation as a weapon. Such a man had his uses, limited as they were. However it made listening to him an uneasy task.

"Yes, go on," Roman said impatiently. He didn't even look up from the map of Vale on the table before him as he spoke. The sooner he could get back to planning out his next move the better.

"We hit up Tukson's place yesterday," Antler-man continued. "He got the message loud and clear. But something else there seemed off."

The man paused, as if waiting for an invitation to go on. Roman closed his eyes and let out a breath through his nose. "And that is?"

"Those girls who are always hanging around Junior's place. They were both there in the store when we were leaving."

Finally something the man said grabbed Roman's attention. The Malachite girls were at a bookstore? What were they of all people doing at a place which required a literacy level above that of an eight year old?

Was it a coincidence that the two of them were there on the same day at the same time when Roman had sent a couple of his White Fang lackeys to remind Tukson of his duties to the cause? Or were they sniffing around something in which they had no business?

The news was indeed unusual. Finally he turned to look at the new arrivals. "You're sure it was them?"

The White Fang grunt shrugged. "I mean, hard to forget faces like those. Got the black hair going on, green eyes. And those dresses. One of them was with some guy. He was a teenager too. Tall and blonde."

A guy? Roman was no expert on Junior's enforcers but he had never met someone matching that description before.

Tall and blonde... it reminded him of a certain boy who had helped thwart his dust shop robbery. A boy who was hanging around with that huntress and other teenager.

It was only a hunch, but he knew there was no such thing as being too careful in his line of work. "Describe the boy to me more."

The other White Fang moron whose name Roman didn't care enough about to remember spoke. "Well like he said, tall and blonde," he repeated annoyingly. "Messy hair. Kinda thin, but looked like he had some muscle underneath his hoodie."

Warning sirens went off in Roman's mind. A hoodie. The boy from the dust shop had worn a hoodie too. "A hoodie?"

"Yeah, it had a rabbit on it," Antler-man said. "Can't forget something like that."

The other nodded. "Guy walks down the street in that hoodie, people know he's not afraid of anything."

Huntsmen had an annoying habit of not being afraid of anything. Until they were dead, that was.

If this was the same boy... it meant that Junior had sent him to interfere in the robbery. Why would Junior sabotage his operation? Why would Junior get his own men arrested? It made no sense. Unless...

Maybe Junior had enlisted the huntress and students in order to try and take him down once and for all. The police couldn't do it. However a huntress and her students were an entirely different story. They had nearly succeeded too. That stupid kid in black and red had tenacity. A truly annoying amount of it.

It didn't sit well with the master criminal. The very real likelihood that Junior had betrayed him made his normally calm and collected mind seethe with rage. It did not show outwardly, however. At least not while these idiots were still here.

"Very well," he said as he made a shooing motion. "Off you go now."

The two thugs shared a glance before shrugging and walking off.

A tall, blonde teenage boy in a hoodie. The description sounded close enough. He had to be sure, however. He could not simply start a war on a hunch. Not when his own operations had to be the focus of his attention.

However if it turned out that Junior was trying to sabotage him... then the man would get the war that he wanted.

Out of the corner of his eye he caught the slightest glimpse of a shimmer. He already knew what that meant. "Yes?"

A tiny young woman clad in brown, white and pink emerged from the shadows. Her steps were slow and deliberate as she walked towards him. On her lips was the ever-present threat of a smirk that had not fully developed, but could emerge at any moment.

"I suppose you found that amusing, Neo?" he asked.

Neo tilted her head and shrugged, all the while making her way closer to him. Her hands were clasped innocently behind her back as she looked around the warehouse and those who were working in it seemingly without a care in the world.

"Maybe things would have gone better that night if you had decided to join me."

The diminutive girl arrived at the desk a few seconds later. Its surface reached up to the middle of her stomach, but she had no problem hopping up atop it. Her legs crossed as she continued to watch the work being done around her.

"I do hope you enjoyed your little vacation because it's over now." He paused as an idea began to formulate in his mind. "Or... maybe not."

The words had garnered her attention, and Neo finally looked over at him and into his eyes rather than on the White Fang grunts around them.

"When's the last time you had a good time out at a club?"

The young woman looked up in thought as she began to count on her fingers. She had reached five on one of her hands before pausing. Immediately after she began to bring the fingers back down until it had reached only one.

One day since she had last been out having fun. Must have been nice to not have to plan heists.

It took Roman a moment to realize that Neo had deliberately chosen to leave her middle finger the only one still standing. He snorted a sarcastic laugh. "Right back at ya," he smirked. Neo's own smile deepened at his retort. "How would you like to go back out again in a couple days?"

Neo's eyes widened exaggeratedly, blinking innocently as she pointed at herself.

Roman rolled his eyes. "Yes, you," he confirmed. "And no, this isn't about having a good time. It's work."

Her arms folded against her chest as she looked away with a silent harrumph. He knew she was really hamming it up only to annoy him.

"Yeah I know. It's terrible to have to earn your keep. Anyway, it's not a hard job. I just need you to do a little recon. Think you can handle it?"

She flashed him a knowing smile as if to say that he didn't even need to ask that question in the first place.

Roman knew that she was a master of disguise. She could infiltrate just about anywhere with her abilities. Even if she couldn't it wasn't as if she was a known commodity anyway. She was his secret weapon. The only person in this whole operation he trusted wholeheartedly. He might have even called her his friend if he didn't know that she would silently mock him forever over the sentiment.

"You heard the description of the boy a couple minutes ago, right?"

Neo nodded.

"Good. I need you to go to Junior's club on the night of its grand reopening and get some pictures of every guy there you can find who matches that description."

Neo's eyes squinted as she regarded him with what Roman could only assume was disgusted confusion.

He sighed at the silent accusation. "No, I do not have some sort of voyeurism fetish. Besides, what I'm looking for here is a teenage boy."

The girl smiled mischievously. Her eyebrows wagged suggestively at his last words.

"No," he snapped, extending a finger to point at the girl. "And don't you even think about thinking that either."

Neo shrugged. At least that was settled. The last thing he wanted was for the girl to think he had any sort of sexual interest in his target.

"Two days," he reminded her. "I'm going to get to the bottom of this. If Junior wants to start shit with me then he's going to get it."

* * *

 **Author's Note:** I don't often say things like this, but it's the reason I was able to get this chapter out 5 days after the last update. Those Miltia and Ruby scenes were among my favorite ones to write out of anything RWBY I've ever written. Both top 5 for sure.

Thanks go out to everyone who is interested in this story. You know how I feel. I truly appreciate all of the support you continuously give me.

As always questions comments or concerns are welcome.

Thanks for reading.


	12. Chapter 12

The near-empty room around him reflected how Jaune felt inside. He felt empty. Without direction. Without purpose.

He knew the kinds of things which would be expected of him from now on. Intimidation. Violence. Against those who deserved it and those who didn't. He didn't know if he was capable of doing such things.

His conversation with Ruby the night before had done a little to ease his mind, at least. When it came to matters like protecting the innocent he knew what he had to do. He had to act as a huntsman would. A true huntsman would not hesitate to defend civilians from those who had ill intent, be they Grimm, human or faunus. The last one on the list would most likely be the kind of threat he dealt with most often. At least that's what his experience at Tukson's book store made him believe.

However the White Fang was also anything but a black and white issue. Yes, Tukson was a member of a terrorist organization. A terrorist organization responsible for the deaths of countless innocent lives. It was easy the lump their members together in one large group deserving of justice. What most people failed to consider was that each individual in the group was just that; an individual. Tukson wanted out. He had been led to believe that the White Fang was something different than what it actually was. He had made a mistake. A grave one. However now he wanted to fix that mistake.

Could Jaune really go up against an entire group and ignore that fact? What if other people there wanted to leave too? What if they were too scared to act?

He shook his head. This wasn't what life as a huntsman was supposed to be like, even if he didn't actually carry the title himself. Had he been on a team with Ruby he might have actually gone up against people like Tukson one day. He would have to act quickly and decisively. There would be no time to think about who was a real enemy and who was merely misguided. Hesitating like that could get himself or his friends killed.

Maybe it was a good thing he failed to make it into Beacon. Maybe his dream really was foolish to begin with. Maybe he should just go home.

Looking around the bare room, all he could think to himself right now was that this was home. It was either stay here, or come up with some excuse as to why he would have to go back to his own small village as a failure. Soon enough his lies would unravel. His whole family would know what he did.

A bed, a small table and a small dresser were the only furniture which adorned the room. None of the items were pretty, and the bed itself was a creaky, uncomfortable mess, but it was as good as it was going to get for him. He had no decorations. No personal items to liven the place up. There was no sense of permanence at all. If not for the dresser he would still be living out of his suitcase. It was an ideal setup for someone who was ready to bolt at a moment's notice. He was still on the fence about it all.

Tomorrow the club would be reopening. Everything downstairs was set up and ready for the return of what he had heard were large and lively crowds. It would also be his first test of being an actual bouncer rather than some sort of criminal enforcer. It sounded like it might have made for an interesting job if not for the more unsavory aspect which he had witnessed firsthand.

A small buzz interrupted his thoughts. Jaune reached over to grab the scroll which sat on the table beside him.

Melanie. Of course only she would be messaging him at this time of night. By the looks of the message she was also drunk.

 _Juan come to the bar. I'm bred._

It figured that she only wanted to talk to him because she was bored. Ever since the night where he drank until he passed out she had viewed him as a source of entertainment. As someone to tease and joke with for her own satisfaction. Well, two could play that game.

He typed away at his scroll's keypad to reply. _You're bred? Who's the father?_

Jaune wondered if she would even get the joke. She probably didn't even realize that her drunken typos had been autocorrected to completely different words than she had intended.

After nearly a minute he received his reply.

 _Bored. Ducking autocorrect._

A small smile slipped onto his lips for more reasons than one.

 _Duck._

 _Fuck. Fuuuuuuuuuuck!_

Jaune knew how dangerous of a human being she was. He had seen it at Tukson's. However right now he could not help but be amused at just how completely and utterly she was failing at typing.

 _I hat this stupid scroll that doesm;t want me to say fuck!_

 _Fuck fuck fuck._

 _See I can sat fuck now._

He didn't need a scroll to know about her fondness of profanity. It was so strong that she had managed to conquer the scroll's seemingly default setting of autocorrecting "fuck" to "duck".

 _Jaune answer meeeeeeeee!_

He rolled his eyes as his hands gripped the scroll. Just what was he even supposed to say right now? He didn't know. Even growing up with seven sisters hadn't prepared him for drunk texting girls his age.

He decided to go with something totally neutral so that Melanie could lead the conversation. _Hi,_ he typed simply.

More seconds passed by. He wondered if the girl would find that to be an acceptable reply or if she would get angry. Thankfully he didn't have to wait long to find out.

 _Come don here,_ she requested again.

He didn't really want to. It was late and he really should be getting some sleep in preparation for the big day. Of course the club wouldn't open up until sometime in the afternoon, but there were still plenty of last minute jobs that needed to be done to make everything perfect. Getting the morning off was not an option.

Maybe he could deflect the attention off of himself. _Why not ask Miltia?_

He hadn't had much alone time with the girl over the past few days. Not since the Tukson incident. Miltia hadn't come and seen him while he was preparing breakfast since that day. Now that he thought about it he hadn't spent any time alone with either of the twins. His only interactions with them had been as a pair and with Junior present. Other than that he spent much of his time alone. That was just one of many reasons for which he was thankful that Ruby had decided to call him.

 _Militia's ignoring me,_ Melanie responded at last.

Jaune wished that he would have thought of that a few minutes ago. He could have pretended to be sleeping. It was probably what Miltia's excuse would be in the morning. Someone like her could easily lie about wanting to be responsible and get a good night's rest before the grand reopening. It was a shame that Jaune had no good way out of this situation now.

If he didn't do as Melanie said he knew that she would pester him all night. He didn't know how much she had drank already, but he was not about to doubt her capability to continue on for another couple hours. Sure, he could simply turn off his scroll, but that brought the risk of her coming up to his room in person and banging on the door until he opened it up.

Then once she was inside there was no telling what kind of damage she could cause. She could pass out drunk on his bed leaving him with nowhere to sleep. She could puke her guts out, forcing him to clean it and live with the stench for the rest of the night.

In other words there were no good options. Much like the other situation he faced right now. Going downstairs to humor the girl for a little while was the best choice he had. With any luck she would be so far gone that only another couple of drinks would end her night.

With a plan in mind he made his way down to the bottom floor of the building. It looked like a completely different place compared to the first time he had come all those weeks ago. A clean and shiny black floor reflected the bright white and red lights on the ceiling. Glass decorations adorned the huge room. Black tables and chairs would be able to comfortably seat probably a couple hundred people. There was plenty of room for others on the dance floor. If the place's potential capacity was anything to go by then it was going to be crowded come tomorrow night.

Over in the distance he saw a beacon of white among a sea of black. Melanie sat in her favorite white and teal attire, arms resting at the bar as she looked down at the glass in front of her. Locks of jet-black hair hung loosely down, somehow miraculously avoiding falling into whatever her drink of choice was on this night.

The sound of his boots on the black tile floor eventually garnered the attention of the dangerous criminal, and she turned to look at him with an unreadable look on her face. "You're late!" she said forcefully.

Jaune hadn't known he had been on a timetable. He decided to respond with something as unreasonable as the accusation which had been leveled against him. "Sorry. Traffic," he deadpanned.

Melanie's eyes narrowed and her mouth hung open as she struggled to understand how that made sense. A moment later her eyes shut and she began to laugh. "You're so fucking dumb."

For a few seconds he stood in her vicinity, waiting until her laughter subsided. When it did he took a seat at the bar, leaving an empty stool between them.

Melanie looked down at the stool before her glassed over eyes met his. "What'sss wrong, boy toy? Afraid of me or ssomething?"

Honestly? He was. After witnessing her beating Tukson the way she had, who wouldn't be afraid of her? If it hadn't been for his intervention she likely would have beaten the man within an inch of his life. Perhaps even worse.

"No," he lied. Thankfully she appeared to be drunk enough that she wouldn't be able to detect his deceit. "Just... giving you your space."

Melanie gripped the bar with both hands and thrust herself up to her feet. Using the counter as if it was a lifeline she sidestepped until she reached the empty seat next to Jaune and plopped down atop it.

"Well ssstop!" she insisted. A moment later she reached for her errant drink and pulled it back in front of her. "I don't bite. Well... not right now at least."

Jaune didn't know why he was surprised. It seemed like whether the girl was sober or drunk she would tease him with all sorts of innuendos.

"Right," he said safely. It was best not to challenge her statements in any way which would only add fuel to the fire.

She took a sip of her drink before turning back to look at him. "Sssso... what'ss up?"

What's up? Well, he had been in his room contemplating his life and choices up until this moment. He had been locked in a deeply meaningful inner struggle about what it meant to be a huntsman. About the morality of harming others for the greater good. About what he was going to do about his future here in Vale.

Naturally he didn't tell Melanie a single thing about that.

"Nothing," he lied again. "Keeping you company?"

The answer seemed to satisfy her. Melanie smiled, placing a hand upon his shoulder while downing the rest of her drink. The smile remained on her lips after she set the glass back down. "Yeah you are," she seemed to say smugly. "Sssee? You're a good birdie." Her right hand rubbed against his shoulder and bicep. "And y-your little hurt wing is allllll better now."

Jaune had no idea what the girl was talking about. It was probably better not to ask.

"Make me a drink?" she asked as she pointed to her empty glass.

Truthfully Jaune had absolutely no idea how to make any kind of mixed drink. Outside of his one night of drinking here at the club he had pretty much no experience with alcohol. However he could give it a try. If a drunk Melanie was his test subject then maybe she wouldn't be able to recognize any disastrous concoctions he might come up with.

"You really want _me_ of all people to make you a drink?"

Melanie nodded her head in the most unintentionally exaggerated way possible. "Mmmhmmm!"

He sighed. "I suppose there's no way of convincing you I don't know how, right?"

This time she shook her head back and forth. "Mmm mmm!"

Well this was just great. He was supposed to just be sitting there and humoring the girl while she enjoyed herself. Now he was getting roped into this whole mess. Next she would probably want him to get as wasted as she was.

In any case, he would give drink mixing a shot. "Sure..." he said uneasily as he stood up and made his way behind the bar.

There were so many bottles. Dozens. Inside them were liquids of every color of the rainbow, and many more that weren't. He had no idea what would go with what.

"Make me one of your girly fruit drinksss," Melanie said unhelpfully.

He wanted to point out that he had never actually had one of those drinks which she teased him with, but he knew that his objection would only fall upon drunk ears.

As he continued to look around he saw a laminated sheet of paper under the bar. Grabbing it he saw a list of several named drinks on it along with the compositions of each.

Maybe Melanie's demand had been helpful. One drink on the list looked like it would meet her requirements for sure.

It took what felt like an eternity with the judgmental eyes of Melanie upon him, but eventually Jaune was able to locate the ingredients for the recipe. Well, everything except for the fresh strawberries.

Grabbing a glass and setting it on the counter he set about following the brief instructions on the paper. Some ice went in first. The strawberry liqueur was to be the bottom layer of the drink. Then the orange juice. Finally it was topped off with grenadine.

He had no idea if it was supposed to look like this or if he should stir it, but the drink looked pretty. Shades of red and orange rose throughout the glass, making it look like the sunrise which gave it its namesake.

Jaune set the colorful glass down in front of Melanie, who eyed it with astonishment. "Ooh! It looks niccce," she said genuinely.

A genuine Melanie was better than a sarcastic one. Maybe she should get drunk more often.

After leaving the back of the counter Jaune returned to his seat next to Melanie, who was taking a delicate sip of his creation. When the glass left her mouth her lips audibly smacked before her tongue darted out to lick them clean of any residue.

"Fuck that'sssweet." She appeared to sound happy rather than upset by this fact.

Still, he wanted to be sure. His pride as a cook meant that he wanted people to enjoy his creations. "Is that good?"

The next sip the girl took was longer than before, which would have enough for him even without a reply. After another loud lip smack she spoke. "Mmmhmm!" she hummed cheerfully.

Jaune couldn't help but feel satisfied that he had succeeded in his first drink mixing attempt. Right now he needed all of the victories he could get.

After setting the glass down he noticed how Melanie began to sway slightly back and forth in her stool. The motion and rhythm of her head and body almost made it looks like she was listening to music that only she could hear. Maybe in her head she was indeed playing something.

"So, how many drinks have you had tonight?" he asked.

The swaying lessened as she turned to look at him. Her eyes however glanced up at the ceiling as if she was in deep thought. "Uh..." she started. "I've had... this many."

Jaune stared at her, patiently waiting for some sort of indication as to the number of drinks Melanie had had. Nothing came after her reply, however. "Usually when people say something like that they hold up their fingers to give a number."

"That's how many I've haaaaad!" she wailed as she grabbed hold of Jaune's arm again. It took him a moment to realize that she had done so in order to maintain her balance on the stool.

It was unbelievable that this was the same girl from a couple days ago. This was Melanie Malachite, the sarcastic, and quite honestly bitchy girl who had no problems whatsoever with kicking the crap out of a book store owner in order to get the information that she sought. A small and petite girl who wore blades of the heels of her boots and knew how to use them as well as any aspiring huntress might. Now she was little more than a drunken, happy teenager who thought that a strawberry sunrise looked pretty.

How was it possible that this goofy, cheerful girl was the same person who was ready to torture Tukson? How was it possible that someone so vicious could also be so affectionate? Not to mention very handsy.

Drunk Melanie seemed to be a lot friendlier than her sober counterpart. Jaune wondered if that was the real her that came out when she had no reason to hide it. When she had no inhibitions to hold her back. When she wasn't being the violent criminal that he had seen a few days ago.

"Jaune," she said, her hand maintaining a steely grip on his sleeve.

He glanced down at the hand before looking back to her eyes. "Yeah?"

"These sht- these stools don't have backs."

He nodded. "You're right. They don't."

"Why the fuck would Hei buy new stools with no backs?"

He was sure that the question made sense in her mind. It was best to humor her. "I don't know. You're right."

"Fuck right I'm right," she said proudly. A few moments later her expression was replaced with one of genuine horror. "Oh fuck me," she cursed. "I totally told you Hei's real name."

Hei...? Jaune didn't know who she was talking about. Did she mean Junior? It was the only thing that made sense if he was the one responsible for buying the new furniture. Junior was also the only person who could inspire such a reaction from the girl in white.

It didn't take long however for the girl to burst out laughing once more. "Oops," she said disingenuously. "I to- I totally told you Hei's name. Let's just keep that our little shecret 'kay?"

It sounded good to Jaune. He hoped it wasn't one of those situations where Junior would have to kill him in order to keep him quiet. The less he knew about that little information blurt the better.

"Sure," he agreed. "I didn't hear anything."

"'Kay," she said as she grabbed what was left of her strawberry sunrise. Tilting it all the way back, she couldn't help but lean back in the stool herself trying to get every last drop out of the cocktail. Apparently it was that good to a girl who clearly had experience with her liquor.

The feeling of pride quickly vanished as Melanie leaned back too far. Her arms flailed in the air for a second before Jaune reached out with one of his own and grabbed her back. He steadied her upon her seat before removing his hand from her.

"Fuck," she breathed out as she slid her empty glass across the counter. A moment later she turned to look at him with a drunken smirk. "Jaune Arc you're my heeeero," she said sarcastically.

And here they had been having such a nice conversation too. Well, as nice as was possible for a sober person to have with a drunk one. However considering this was Melanie he was speaking with he would consider it nothing less than pleasant. He didn't know why he was surprised that her attitude had reverted back to its usual self.

"Look at the little huntsman s-saving the poor damsel in distress from falling on her assh," she continued. The laughter which followed immediately after only further confused him. He didn't know whether she was mocking him or simply making a joke.

"Uh, sure?" he asked. The uncertainty in his voice was probably lost on the girl next to him.

"Bet you would have gotten like, all the pussy in Beacon with moves like that," she giggled. "'Cause you're a nice guy, right?. One look at the-" She stopped mid-sentence as a less than ladylike burp gurgled from her throat. She didn't seem to care so he didn't either as she continued. "One look at the knight in shining armor and their panties get sssoaked. Right? That what you thought would happen?"

Obviously not. Sure, it would have been nice to have some sort of love life in Beacon, but that wasn't why he had wanted to go. It would have been the cherry on top of living out his dream. However he had no such expectations.

The last thing he wanted right now was to be reminded of those lost dreams. He didn't want to be reminded of his own moral dilemma either. "Whatever," he muttered, taking a page out of Melanie's own book.

"Aww," she cooed, reaching out to grab him again. "Don't be mad, little birdie," she said confusingly once more. "I know what'll make you feel better."

The adventures of drunk Melanie were beginning to wear on his patience. Jaune briefly considered going to make her another drink in the hopes that she would finally pass out. In the end he decided against it.

"Hey," she said as she poked him in the arm. "Did you know that if you s-say my initialsss out loud you go 'mmmm'?"

He did not, in fact. He had never been drunk enough to even consider such a thing.

"Come on, Jaune," she continued. "Say 'mmmm', Jaune."

"Is this what's supposed to make me feel better?"

"Just do it. Come on. Mmmm!"

She likely wouldn't stop until he complied. Jaune pressed his lips together and gave the girl what she wanted. "Mmmm," he hummed.

Melanie laughed. "Okay. Okay. Now," she said excitedly. "You know who thinksss _you're_ mmmm?"

"Who?"

"Mmmmmiltia!" she exclaimed proudly.

All of that buildup for a stupid joke? Jaune wasn't sure why he was surprised. The girl next to him had barely made sense since he had joined her at the bar. Why start now?

Melanie started to laugh once more, stopping only to catch her breath to speak once more. "Yup. That'sss totes what Miltia thinks about you. But don't tell her I told you 'kay?"

Jaune's heart skipped a beat. He turned to eye the girl suspiciously, and as he stared into her face he could find no trade of deceit. Only drunken enthusiasm.

Was she serious then? Or was she merely messing with him as she always did? There was no guarantee that she was telling the truth even if he couldn't detect any lies in her words. He was far from an expert in reading people. He couldn't discount her statement. He couldn't trust it either.

Melanie's credibility took a hit when specks of saliva sprayed from her mouth as she tried to keep herself from laughing. She failed miserably. "Oh my gods, you should've... you should've seen the look on your face just now," she said with a finger leveled at him. "Your eyes. They look like your shirt. Poor s-scared little bunny."

"How do you know this anyway?" he asked, ignoring the outburst. "About Miltia?"

"'Cause we're twinssss!"

The answer did nothing to satisfy his question. However he was sure that it made sense in Melanie's mind. That settled it. As far as he was concerned she was as unreliable a source as they came.

"Right..."

"It's 'cause we're twinsss," she repeated. "She was like, totally in denial at first. Like, even I couldn't tell."

Like he was going to believe a single word that Melanie said. Especially drunk Melanie. How trustworthy could a person be who couldn't keep something like Junior's closely guarded secret name a secret?

Still, Melanie seemed oddly insistent. However there was always a built in excuse for that. She was simply screwing with him as she so often did. Even while she was drunk. The girl had been going on about how he had wanted to be a big hero and garner the attraction of the girls at Beacon. Messing with him about Miltia was probably just the next logical step in her alcohol-fuelled mind.

"S-so whatcha gonna do?" she asked.

Jaune took out his scroll and checked the time. It was late, but not too late. Still, it was around the time where he knew that he needed to get to bed in order to get a good night's sleep.

"Is sleeping an option?"

Melanie laughed. "Wooooow. Little huntsman's got some baaaalls!"

It took him a moment to realize what she was talking about. He had absolutely not meant it as sleeping with Miltia. Joking or not though, that was how she had interpreted it.

"No, I meant me going to sleep right now," he clarified. "Alone."

The girl pouted at his response. "Jaaaaaaaune! You haven't even drank anything!" she whined. "How can you abandon me when you haven't drank?"

The absolute last thing he wanted right now was a repeat of his first drunken escapade at Junior's club. Especially if he were to be alone with Melanie.

It was a good thing he didn't need to think too hard about excuses with the girl in her state of mind. "I'm saving my energy for when we open tomorrow," he explained. "That way I can get twice as drunk. Right?"

There was also a good chance that Melanie wouldn't even remember those words come morning. As far as Jaune was concerned it was a win-win situation.

Melanie moaned softly as she looked down at the counter. "Whatever. You s-suck."

Jaune couldn't help but smile at her weak insult, both in wording and delivery. It was a far cry from the scathing and sometimes hateful demeanor with which she usually spoke to him. It truly was like she was a different person at the moment.

It was an odd thing to see. Just as odd as it was to see how Miltia went from a nervous cook to a cold criminal in the span of a few hours. Both girls seemed to have different sides to them. Both were capable of vicious bouts of violence as well as charming innocence.

Was that what he had to do as well?

His father was a huntsman, but he was also a family man. He killed monsters for a living. There was a good chance he had battled against people as well. Yet the man was still a good and kind-hearted person. He still managed to find love and raise eight children. He did not live exclusively in only one of those two worlds. Maybe that's how Jaune had to look at it.

Whether he liked it or not, the White Fang was in Vale. A powerful and deadly terrorist organization was poised to inflict untold amounts of damage on the citizens of the kingdom. It was necessary and right to stop them. It's what a huntsman would do. It's what Ruby would do. It's what he would have done had he been accepted into Beacon. Maybe he still could. Maybe there was still some good he could do even without being a huntsman.

Just as both of the Malachite twins seemed to have different sides to them, Jaune found himself wanting that as well. It was the only way to ensure that all of his dreams and efforts would not be in vain. He could not be afraid to get his hands a little dirty for the greater good, just as Ruby had told him. If there were people out there who wanted to hurt the innocent, then he would have to defend them. Potentially by any means necessary.

Jaune glanced over at Melanie who sat toying with her hair with one hand, the other propping her head up and keeping it from laying down on the bar. She probably looked down on him after what had happened with Tukson. She probably thought that he was weak. That he was a half measure. That he didn't have what it took to get the job done.

He was determined to prove her wrong.

* * *

Life made sense again.

It was as if the past several weeks had all been one long, bad dream. To be fair there had been at least one of those which had actually occurred. However now, much like those real nightmares, the time spent recovering from the blonde girl's attack was finally over. Life was normal again.

Miltia allowed her senses to be assaulted from every angle as she strode through the packed club. The loud music washed over her like waves crashing against a rocky cliff. The bright lights from above moved and danced with the people who gyrated on the floor. The warmth of bodies pressed together all around her felt like a loving and familiar embrace. The stench of the people and their alcohol, as unpleasant as it was, was a welcome sensation which she hadn't thought she would miss.

All in all it was a welcome distraction from what was to come. War.

It wouldn't be long now until she and Melanie would meet back up with Tukson in order to be taken to his White Fang meeting. When that happened then shit would truly hit the fan. There would be no going back. However she realized as much as Melanie that they could not simply stand back and do nothing. Vale's underground was their turf. If they stood idly by and allowed some foreign group of fanatics to come in, intimidate all of their business partners, and take over the illicit markets, they were done for. They would lose all credibility and respect. Their names would mean nothing. Their profits would dry up. They could lose everything.

Miltia was not going to lose everything. She would never be reduced to such a weak and pathetic wreck like she had been back at Mountain Glenn. She would never need to be saved by anyone ever again. Neither would Melanie.

A look at her destination brought said sister into her vision. As expected, the girl in white was sitting at the bar more concerned with her drink than watching out for any signs of trouble in the club. While they weren't strictly bouncers, they did try to keep the troublemakers in line when they revealed themselves. Normally all it took was a few words to bring the offenders to heel. However when it took more than that she and her sister did not hold back in making an example of them.

Only once had they failed in their job.

She shook the thought from her head as she approached the bar. Along with Melanie, Junior was there as well playing the role of bartender as he sometimes liked to do. On a busy night like tonight the extra help would certainly be appreciated by the rest of his employees. Miltia almost felt a little bad at not doing more to contribute. Almost.

Her thoughts as well as her eyes drifted over to the double doors that were the place's main entrance. There was someone else who was contributing. Someone else charged with keeping the peace. She still didn't know how to feel about it all.

What Jaune had witnessed at Tukson's store had not scared him off. From what she could tell his demeanor had not changed at all. Was that a good thing? Was it bad? She didn't know. However she wasn't about to ask. Not after how he had looked at her. Not after how he had said her name. It still bothered her. She could not longer pretend to be someone she was not.

It felt as if the energy had been suddenly sapped from her as Miltia took a seat next to Melanie. If not for the fact that she had gotten drunk a couple of nights ago she would have been tempted to order a few drinks from Junior tonight. However as she had once told Jaune, one of the two sisters had to be the responsible one. And nine times out of ten that duty fell in her lap.

Thankfully Melanie was not that far gone yet if her speech was anything to go by. "I've missed this."

Miltia nodded wordlessly. She knew that her sister didn't mean the alcohol either. That was never in short supply even in the rebuilding process.

What Melanie missed was the power that came with this club. The control over who was allowed in. The feeling of superiority over the little people who frequented it. They were all insignificant little nobodies. If Miltia was being honest with herself she would admit that she missed these feelings as well.

"No more saving lien," Melanie continued. "No more living like fucking peasants. All these losers are gonna be paying our bills again."

It was a good thing the music was so loud. The club's guests probably wouldn't have taken very kindly to hearing how Melanie viewed them.

"And we're gonna get back everything that we lost. You know what that means right?"

Miltia couldn't stop herself from smirking. "Pumpkin spice?"

"Fucking pumpkin spice," Melanie agreed as she poked her sister with a finger.

She hoped that routine would return to normal. The comfort and regularity to wake up every morning to donuts and coffee always brought a smile to her face and put an extra spring in her step. Junior had stopped making the breakfast runs shortly after being attacked. He felt as if frivolously wasting lien like that would do them no favors in those uncertain times. She could certainly understand that way of thinking. However it did not make the situation any less difficult to deal with.

"I can't believe it's been so long since I've had one. I think I'm totally going through withdrawal or whatever."

Miltia hummed in agreement. While she wasn't about to be a drama queen about it like her sister, she would readily admit that she missed her favorite morning drink.

A return to their old routine would also mean that Jaune would be out of a job when it came to cooking. Would she grow to miss that as well? There was no doubt that at times a good home-cooked meal was just as good, if not better than carry out. Especially during the cold months of winter. The lattes would certainly help to warm her body when the season returned, but the donuts would be extremely lacking in comparison to the warm eggs and meats that Jaune usually prepared.

The loss of his cooking duties would also relegate Jaune to being fulltime muscle. That meant more than just the bouncer duties he was performing on this night. He was to become like herself and Melanie. An enforcer. If he decided to stick around that long, that was. A part of her doubted that he would. He had seen firsthand what they do. He had seen what was expected of him. A part of her hoped that he would swallow his pride and leave. Better to go home a liar than end up like one of Junior's men.

Another look over to the doors showed that he was busy watching over the crowd on the floor. The poor kid probably had no idea what he was even doing. Junior had told him to simply stand there and look intimidating. His posture was straight and his arms were folded across his chest. She wondered just how many people would find him intimidating with that bunny hoodie of his.

Miltia's train of thought was interrupted when her sister spoke again. "Looking at your boyfriend?"

It was the last word which had gained her full attention. "Would you just shut the fuck up about that?" she snapped.

Melanie laughed in response. This joke had grown old weeks ago, but Melanie wasn't the sharpest knife in the drawer. She would continue to repeat it long after any normal and reasonable person would find it funny.

"I'm just looking out for you, baby sis," Melanie said annoyingly.

"Look out for your own love life, idiot."

Her sister's smirk grew. That was never a good thing. "Maybe I will," she said deviously. "Our little huntsman isn't exactly my type, but I think I can break him in. You wouldn't mind since he's totally not your BF, right?"

Break him in. An obvious word choice to provoke her. She wouldn't give her twin the satisfaction.

"Do what you want," Miltia said. "But I don't think he's into _your_ type either."

"And what is my type?"

"I dunno. Crazy bitch?"

"Whatever," Melanie huffed. "He's a guy. Guys don't have a type as long as it's moving and breathing."

Miltia didn't know. She didn't have the type of experience in love that Melanie did. Then again Miltia wouldn't even call what her sister had experienced to be love. Lust, definitely. Melanie had no qualms about satisfying her itches and cravings on the rare occasion she found a suitable partner to do so. When she felt like having some genuine fun for herself rather than simply teasing a guy for her own satisfaction.

There was always one thing that remained true with all of the partners that her sister deemed worthy of her though. Melanie was the dominant one in the "relationship". It was clear who was in charge and who called the shots. Melanie was the one who was fucking them. Not the other way around. And in the end it was she who discarded her toy when she was finished.

It was a natural part of life. A natural part of being young. At least that's what the girl told her.

Would she seriously consider Jaune to be the next in her line of toys?

She didn't think Jaune would return that same consideration, truthfully. "Maybe," she shrugged. "But I think even Jaune knows he should never stick his dick in crazy."

Melanie scoffed at the wise words. "Fuck you."

A tiny smirk formed on Miltia's lips, knowing that she was getting under her twin's skin for a change. "Yeah. That's exactly what I said he wasn't gonna do to you."

"Fuck off," her sister said even harsher this time. "Don't be jelly because you're a prude bitch who can't have a little fun."

Having standards wasn't being a prude. Being able to deal with her cravings on her own wasn't either.

In any case they had gotten way off track. She knew what Melanie was doing. She was using Jaune as a tool even now to get under her skin. Miltia knew that her sister had no interest in the boy, but was just using him to try and make her jealous. Well it wouldn't work.

However thoughts of this little game quickly evaporated when she heard her sister's next words.

"Oh what the fuck is this," Melanie spat.

Miltia turned to look at her sister. Her eyes were narrowed dangerously as she looked in the direction of the doors, but Miltia could tell that her attention was not focused on the boy who stood near them.

"What?"

"Fucking cunt alert, nine o'clock," she said, motioning with her head to her left.

Miltia blinked. "It's past nine."

Melanie huffed, rolling her eyes. "To our left, idiot."

"So just say that next time."

"Not the point!" Melanie said as she pointed out into a small crowd of people. "Look. Look right over there at the bitch with the scroll out in front of her."

Miltia's eyes scanned the area. Things seemed fairly normal. Just people dancing and having fun as they always did.

"You aren't even drunk," she pointed out. "How are you seeing things already?"

"Oh for fuck's sake," the older twin breathed. "Look. Bitch with pigtails. Scroll in front of her. Look who it's pointed at."

Miltia looked again, this time seeing what her sister was talking about. There was a young woman there clad in black and white. It was easy enough to miss her with the club's color scheme. That, and she was incredibly short as well. Shorter than even Miltia herself.

Her black hair was indeed tied into pigtails. A pair of piercing green eyes looked at a scroll which was pointed directly at Jaune as he stood by the doors. It was obvious that she was taking pictures. Why though?

"Who. _The fuck._ Is that?" Melanie said dangerously. "And why the fuck is she trying to look like us?"

Miltia had no idea. However the fact that the girl almost looked as if she could be a triplet of herself and Melanie was not lost on her.

"Looks like someone's trying to steal your man," she added. "You think boy toy has a stalker?"

The statement would have earned Miltia's ire if it wasn't so worrying. Not the part about Miltia's own supposed interest in the boy. It simply wasn't normal for someone to be secretly taking another person's picture in public like that.

"He's not mine to steal," the younger girl insisted.

"So you don't mind that she's totally walking over to him right now?"

It had ended almost as soon as it had begun. The small girl slipped the scroll into her pocket before she began to walk off in the most casual manner possible.

Right toward Jaune.

What was she doing? While it wasn't exactly unusual for there to be creeps in attendance at the club, they usually were not women. Even if they were, they normally did not make it a point to go right over to the target of their attraction and confront them. They were usually cowards. That was why they stayed back in the shadows and took pictures.

This person was not a coward, however.

The woman in question walked with a confidence that a typical wallflower would not possess. She did not look around nervously to see if she was being watched. She did not carry the guilt of a person who felt as if they were getting away with some sort of forbidden pleasure by taking pictures of their beloved. No, this woman looked as if she was not afraid to be the center of attention.

Miltia jumped to her feet, Melanie following soon afterward. She knew her sister was itching for a fight. Miltia on the other hand had far more selfless reasons for heading where she was.

So it was to her complete surprise that the mystery woman in black and white passed Jaune by without even giving him a second glance. A moment later she was out through the double doors.

It made no sense. Unless maybe Melanie had been all wrong. The woman might not have been aiming her scroll at Jaune at all. After all, why would she want to? He was just a new bouncer. There was nothing special about him at all. In a way that was what did in fact make him special. His simple normalcy.

At this point Miltia had stopped in her tracks, but Melanie had other ideas. The elder twin passed her by, reaching back to grab her by the wrist as she did so.

"Come on," she said with a yank of Miltia's arm.

The girl in red did not resist, but still questioned the decision as she walked. "What are we even doing?"

"Getting answers, duh."

Answers from a girl who most likely was a victim of Melanie's misunderstanding. A girl who unlike Tukson had absolutely nothing to do with the White Fang. The worst case scenario was that Jaune did in fact simply have some sort of secret admirer who was too afraid to actually approach him. There was nothing wrong with that, right?

Absolutely not. There was totally nothing wrong with that.

"She's gone though," Miltia protested.

"Yeah? Well she couldn't have gone far."

Neither she nor Melanie gave Jaune a look as they passed him by and went outside themselves.

The air was warm and pleasant on this summer night. A perfect night to be out and about with friends or loved ones. It was exactly what she and Melanie had stumbled into.

The sidewalks weren't crowded, however there were a fair number of people walking in all directions. Indistinct chatter filled Miltia's ears as groups passed by around her. None of them contained the girl in black and white. She was nowhere to be seen at all. As if she had vanished into the night.

"Well shit," Melanie said as she continued to look around.

It was probably for the best that the girl didn't find her quarry. The last thing Junior needed was another fight on the same night he had reopened from the last one.

Miltia sighed, placing a hand on her twin's shoulder. "Come on. Let's just go back inside."

The other girl huffed. "Whatever."

Melanie stepped back through the front entrance. Miltia was about to do the same before taking a look around her.

She couldn't shake the uncomfortable feeling that she was being watched.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** As always I want to thank everyone for your continued support. Seeing this story grow in popularity with each update is a joy that's hard to express. It's definitely something incredibly fun to write just because of how different it is from every other RWBY idea I've written or brainstormed so far. So to see such a positive reception truly is mind-blowing. Thank you again.

Questions, comments and concerns are always appreciated.

Thanks for reading. I hoped you enjoyed it.


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's Note:** Someone actually drew some art based on this story! It was done by my buddy Exvnir, who if you're not familiar with him, and if you're not you should fix that immediately, does a lot of awesome art for RWBY. Go check out his Deviantart page for more great stuff.

* * *

There was an odd sense of familiarity in the back of his mind. Yet there was also a sense of apprehension with the unknown that came with it.

Jaune had been here before. He had walked down this same sidewalk with the twins flanking him on either side. He had his mind set on reaching Tukson's bookstore. Back then it was for a simple comic book. Now, however...

His palms were sweaty, and he was certain that it wasn't just because he was wearing his brown leather gloves. For the first time in a long while he was clad in his white breastplate too. Crocea Mors was strapped to his side, making a bold statement to the public about who or what he might be. Armed men and women walking down the streets of Vale were not exactly an uncommon sight. After all, the city was home to Beacon Academy. The only problem was that neither he nor the twins were licensed huntsmen. They weren't even students in training. These days he didn't quite know what he was.

Both girls were armed as well. Melanie's weapons were a bit more concealable than her sister's, with bladed heels hidden behind her tall boots. People's attention would most likely be drawn to those long legs of hers anyway, rather than those boots. Miltia on the other hand wielded a pair of long, curved claws which would steal the focus away from her own attractive body.

The twins were chatting idly as they walked. Or at least Melanie was, since he could hear her voice doing most of the talking. Jaune wasn't particularly focused on whatever it was they were discussing. They seemed oddly calm. Wasn't this a big deal to them? Perhaps it wasn't. After seeing how they had acted the last time visiting Tukson's place maybe this was just another day for them.

They were almost there. Jaune couldn't help but question what he was doing and why he was doing it. This was crazy. He and the Malachite sisters were about to get the information about where a White Fang meeting was taking place. They were about to go and crash the party of a group of known terrorists. His mind screamed that it was a bad idea. Yet another part of his mind told him that he had to do it. Maybe out of some misguided notion of justice. However he knew that it was for more selfish reasons than that. He had to prove to himself that his dream had not been a mistake. That it had not been a waste of time. He _could_ do what he had set his mind to. No matter who told him otherwise.

Jaune felt a nudge from his side, and a moment later realized that Melanie had gently hit him in the ribs with her elbow. "Nervous?" she asked.

He wasn't sure how she knew. Maybe it was his silence. Or maybe he had a certain look on his face. Whatever the case was, she was correct. "Yeah. You're not?"

Melanie blew a puff of air out and rolled her eyes. "So not," she answered coolly. "We do stuff like this like, all the time."

Jaune wanted to say that he wasn't surprised. He really wasn't. However he didn't know how the temperamental girl might take the reaction and so he kept his mouth closed. Instead he merely nodded wordlessly.

It was Miltia who spoke next. "Not really," she insisted. "We don't do it that much."

"Psssh. We do it enough."

"Well, we don't exactly do stuff like _this_."

Melanie frowned. "Stuff like what? Kick people's asses? We totally do."

"No. I meant it's usually not this bad. Like, terroristy bad."

He supposed that was a good sign. It was one thing to beat people up because they had it coming. That came with the territory working at a nightclub with potential trouble makers. He could even understand that sometimes the twins might have to go out and teach those who were under Junior's thumb a lesson. However, the idea that seeking out trouble from a terrorist group was "normal" for the girls was troubling. He was happy Miltia seemed insistent that this was not the case.

Melanie scoffed at the explanation. "Whatever. We deal with people who get in our way. And these stupid shits are in our way. So it's like, business as usual and stuff."

When she put it like that it seemed relatively simple. They hurt the people who were in their way. Only the people who were normally in their way were not part of a worldwide terrorist organization. In that sense both girls were correct. It still didn't make the reality of the situation any easier for the boy to swallow.

"And neither of you are nervous?" Jaune asked.

Melanie gave him an incredulous look that spoke for her. He was glad that she for some reason decided not to voice her response. He was sure it would have been insulting in nature.

Miltia on the other hand shrugged, looking down at the pavement as she spoke. "I mean, what else are we gonna do?" she asked. "We didn't start this. They did."

Jaune still wasn't sure how much sense it made. The linchpin seemed to be Roman Torchwick. He was involved with both Junior and the White Fang. The man and his botched operation was the cause of Junior's strength being severely depleted. It was seen as a calculated maneuver to weaken the club owner's operation. And while they couldn't prove it, Melanie and Miltia seemed oddly insistent that Roman was behind the mysterious blonde girl who had trashed the club right after he had left. It was too big a coincidence to be otherwise.

"We gotta protect what's ours," Melanie finally said. Her tone seemed darker and more serious than usual. "Vale isn't gonna do it. The fucking huntsmen aren't gonna do it. We have to be out for ourselves. Understand?"

Jaune nodded. However he didn't know why she was so insistent on throwing huntsmen under the bus. It wasn't the first time the girl had voiced her disdain for the profession. Their very job was to protect the people of the kingdom. It was what he had aspired to do for his entire life. It was the very reason he was here right now.

Upon reaching the shop, Jaune peered through the darkened windows to find the interior unlit. It wasn't exactly unusual while there was still sunlight out. However dusk would be fast-approaching, and there really should have been some lights on inside to allow the public to know that the store was open. He supposed it wouldn't matter soon enough.

Tukson would be leaving Vale shortly. Jaune had secured a false passport and identification for the man, just as he had promised. In return Junior would require him to learn how to tend the bar in order to make life easier for the club owner. Jaune had happily agreed to the exchange. It was better than handing over what little lien he still had to his name. Especially because he wasn't being paid for his services at the club.

Jaune reached for the door's handle and pulled only to find it locked. He frowned, and pulled another few times to no avail. It wasn't budging. Clearly the place wasn't open. It was odd, since the sign on the door read "open".

"It's locked," he pointed out, just in case it wasn't made obvious to the girls.

"The fuck," Melanie breathed. She pushed past Jaune to grab the handle herself, pulling a few times. She was met with the same results as him.

"What should we do?"

The girl shook her head, ignoring his question entirely. "He better not have bailed already..." she hissed.

Jaune didn't think he would do so. Tukson was very insistent on getting false identification. To up and leave Vale without it would have allowed him to be tracked using his real name. At least that was what Tukson had felt. The man's fear had been very real. Real enough to attack Melanie. Real enough to resist talking after receiving a beating from the girl.

"Maybe there's a backdoor in the alley?" Miltia suggested.

Melanie nodded, not bothering with anything else as she slipped through the small area between Tukson's building and the one next to it. Jaune followed, avoiding a metal garbage can as he moved to keep up with the apparently angry girl.

The path did lead to an alley, and thankfully there was a backdoor there. It was probably a necessary addition for the building's fire code, and also allowed for easy trash dumping for the many cans and dumpsters that lined the alley.

Much to their chagrin, however, the back door was locked as well. It didn't surprise Jaune, but it didn't help their situation out either. Maybe Tukson was out on a lunch break? Or maybe he was ill and didn't come in. He wanted to think optimistically. The idea of Tukson running off without his new identification was a scary one, considering how fearful he had been a couple weeks ago.

"So what's the plan now?" he asked to neither of the girls in particular.

It didn't take long for Melanie to come up with a solution. "Mil," she said. "Let's break it down."

The other girl nodded, seemingly ready to go along with whatever Melanie had in mind. Kicking the door down could work in theory. All three of them were strong. Their Auras made sure of that. However that could take some time, and also make a lot of noise. Despite being in an alley Jaune didn't want to draw too much attention to themselves.

However kicking didn't seem to be what the girls had in mind as he saw Miltia work a couple simple stretches with her arms. Those cruel claws of hers shone in the dying sunlight, and it soon became clear what she was about to use them for.

A pair of lightning-quick strikes sliced into the doorknob and surrounding area, and they were rewarded with the sound of metal clattering onto the pavement below. With the handle and lock destroyed it wouldn't take much to gain entry into the building. A single kick from Melanie finished the job, and the door swung open to reveal another darkened room.

"Problem solved," Melanie said happily as she stepped through the entrance. "And it's not like he's gonna care if he's leaving Vale today, right?"

Jaune had to agree with her on that. It wasn't the most elegant solution, but it had been effective.

He heard a pair of disgusted groans, and soon enough found out why. When Jaune stepped into the bookstore himself he was met with a wave of something vile assaulting his nose. It was a sharp and pungent odor the likes of which he had never before experienced, and there was nothing he could think of to compare it to. All he knew was that he could not blame the twins for their own vocal reactions.

"What is that?" Melanie asked.

"I dunno," Miltia replied. "Find a light?"

That would be necessary. Despite the limited sunlight which crept through the doorway, the room itself was still fairly dark. It had no windows, and only the sliver directly in front of the door was being touched by the setting sun's rays. However soon enough a new light illuminated at least a small portion of the room.

"Use the flashlights on your scrolls," Miltia said. "At least until we find the- _fucking shit!_ "

Jaune jumped slightly at those shrieked words. He had never heard Miltia so vocal, nor terrified, in the time he had known her. Curse words also sounded foreign coming from her tongue. That was Melanie's territory. Then again, how much did he truly know about either of the girls?

He turned to where Miltia was, the light from his own scroll lighting the girl up to reveal a look of horror on her wide green eyes. Her back was pressed up against a wall as she stared at something in front of her. He set his own light on the target of her fixation.

His blood ran cold.

There sitting on a chair at a desk, was Tukson. At least what remained of him.

"Fuck..." he whispered himself.

By this time Melanie had found the light switch and turned it on to reveal the man in all of his glory. Slumped onto the chair was the body of the shop owner and terrorist. His head tilted off to the side, amber eyes open and lifeless staring off into nothingness.

"Oh fuck," Melanie said, completing a trio of curses in reaction to the sight of the man.

"He's dead," Miltia said softly. "He's fucking dead."

The body certainly explained the smell. It also explained the darkness in the front of the store and the locked doors. Jaune knew this wasn't death by natural causes either. Nothing about this seemed right. Someone had killed Tukson. Just as the man had predicted.

A chill ran down his spine.

Despite the horror of it all he couldn't take his eyes off of the dead man. A closer look revealed red lines around Tukson's throat. Not cuts, however. It looked more like bruising. It was fading as the man's body had begun to pale, but they were still prevalent nonetheless. Jaune was no crime scene investigator, but even he could tell the man had been strangled. Probably to death.

Jaune felt in his gut that Tukson had been killed by the White Fang. It was the only thing which made sense. He had seen enough movies to know when life was imitating art. Tukson had been a snitch. He had been a flight risk. He had conspired with outsiders to give up the location of their meeting. Somehow the White Fang had found out. They knew he was going to leave. It turned out that Tukson had every right to be afraid.

Now he was dead. All because they had made him talk.

Because _he_ had made Tukson talk.

"This is my fault," he whispered.

Jaune hadn't even heard someone approach before he felt a hand on his shoulder. A look to his left revealed Miltia's concerned eyes. "No, Jaune," she said softly. "Don't even go there. This isn't your fault. We were all here. We all did this."

"I told him I'd help protect him," Jaune argued. "He only talked because I made him."

"You didn't _make_ him do anything," Miltia countered. "Me and Melanie were going to make him talk. You..." she looked off to the side briefly. "You were trying to help him."

The blonde shook his head lightly. "And look where it got us. Look where it got him. Maybe if I hadn't gotten him to talk he'd still be alive. Maybe he's only dead now because he did talk to me."

A louder, more forceful voice came from his right. "No, fuck that shit!" Melanie said angrily. A look at her face showed that she was still visibly shaken by the sight herself, despite the aggressive tone which she had taken. "He's dead because he joined the White Fang. Don't try to pin this on us."

On some level Jaune knew that she was right. Tukson was, in the eyes of the law, a terrorist. If one lived by the sword then he should expect to die by the sword. Tukson had made his bed, and now he had to lie in it. Soon enough that bed would be a coffin.

Still, Jaune could not help but think about his role in it all. "I said I'd help him. I gave him my word."

It wasn't simply about the Arc family motto either. It was the feeling of powerlessness. All he had wanted was to help one man. If he couldn't even help a single faunus trying to undo a terrible mistake he had made, what good was he? What kind of a huntsman would he have been?

"I know you did," Miltia said soothingly. Her hand was still present on him. Even its warm and comforting presence did nothing to alleviate the guilt he felt right now. "But... I... I don't know, Jaune."

 _Mmmmmiltia!_

Melanie's drunken words flashed in Jaune's memory. His body flinched reactively at the feel of Miltia's hand upon him. Stupid Melanie. Even right now her teasing was affecting him.

The girl in red looked up at him worryingly. "Jaune?"

He closed his eyes and sighed softly. "Don't worry. Just... dead body and all that."

It was a lie. However right now it was much more convenient than the truth.

"You can't save everyone," Melanie said, stepping in to speak when her sister couldn't produce the words she had been searching for. "People die. Sometimes there's a reason and sometimes there's not. What-fucking-ever."

Her attitude was colder and crueler than he was used to. There was no playful or flirtatious Melanie right now. She seemed to be all business. The kind of girl who wouldn't hesitate to put another body in the ground right now if she felt it was necessary.

"What should we do?" he asked. "Do we call the police or something?"

"Oh yeah that'll go over well." Melanie's tone shifted to a mock baritone with her next words. "Hey we just totally broke into this guy's store because he's a secret White Fang terrorist and we wanna know where the next meeting is."

Well obviously he wasn't about the say something like that. However he knew in his heart that they shouldn't simply leave the man to rot in the back of his store either. Terrorist or not, Tukson was still a person. He may have made mistakes in his life, one of which was an incredibly stupid mistake, but he had at least tried to make up for it.

That was perhaps one of the most upsetting things about all of this.

Tukson, despite his flaws, was trying to seek redemption by leaving the White Fang. He was trying to move on with his life. He had been trying to help out the local community with his bookstore. He had goodness in him. He had light inside of him. Now, however, that light had been snuffed out forever. All because of one stupid decision.

All because of the White Fang.

His fists clenched at the thought. What if someone at Beacon had decided to end his own life for forging those transcripts? What if Jaune's one stupid decision had cost him his life? It wouldn't have been fair. It wasn't fair for Tukson either. He hadn't deserved to die because of his mistake.

He ran a gloved hand through his hair, clenching down on blonde locks as it remained on the top of his head. "What should we do then?"

"I don't know," the white-clad girl said. Her agitation seemed to indicate that she didn't know either. "But we need to at least get what we came here for."

"How? He's dead. Can't exactly tell us where the meeting it."

"He said the White Fang texted the location or whatever, right?"

Jaune recalled the man saying something about that. How members would receive a message on their scrolls a couple hours before the meeting would take place.

"Right," he agreed.

"So..." Melanie began as she motioned toward the man with her head. "Go get his scroll."

Jaune paled at the words. He couldn't. He couldn't go searching a dead body. There were so many things wrong with that he couldn't even begin to list them.

"What?" he protested. "Why me?"

"Because I'm not touching a dead fucking body!"

"Oh but I should?"

Melanie pointed down to his arms rested at his side. "You're the one wearing gloves!"

Jaune brought his hands up to chest-level to see for himself as well as to show Melanie. "They're fingerless though. I might as well not be wearing any at all."

"Well then what the fuck's the point of them?" she snarled. "Either way I'm not touching him. You do it."

In that moment he realized that Melanie had a point. What _was_ the point of his fingerless leather gloves? They weren't practical for fighting. Nor were they good for handling rough or sharp objects. He just thought they looked cool.

A glance over to the quiet Miltia showed that she apparently had no intention of searching for his scroll either. She had no intention of getting involved in the argument period. Jaune knew that once Melanie made a decision she wouldn't go back on it. If he wanted to find Tukson's scroll, if he wanted to learn of the location of the White Fang's meeting, he would need to be the one to do it.

Perhaps he owed it to the man. Perhaps he owed Tukson the justice that would come with crashing the meeting.

"Fine," he said, taking a deep breath as he set his eyes upon the corpse once more.

Jaune had no idea how long Tukson had been dead. He had never seen a dead body before. He knew that in time bodies would begin to decompose, and was thankful that Tukson had not started to do so yet. Still, he didn't want to poke and prod around too much. It was more than just limiting his contact with the dead man. It was about respect. He didn't want to feel like some sort of grave robber seeking prizes from those who could no longer enjoy them.

Unhooking Crocea Mors' scabbard from his waist, Jaune used its tip to press up against Tukson's pockets where a scroll might be contained. His first poke was met with the simple squishy resistance of flesh. He felt like he wanted to vomit.

Moving around to the other side of the chair he repeated the process again and was this time met with something hard. "I think this is it," he announced to the girls.

Neither said a thing, probably expecting him to get on with it so that they could all leave as soon as possible. He didn't blame them for that. He wanted to leave as well.

Jaune swallowed and took another deep breath. Using only a thumb and an index finger he carefully reached into the man's right pocket, driving deeper until he met the hard material which his scabbard had felt. Getting a tight grip on it he fished it out, and was thankful when it was revealed to be the compacted white form of a scroll.

He quickly took a few steps back away from the body as soon as he had secured his prize. Looking down at the scroll he thought about how whatever was on here is what had cost Tukson his life.

"Here," Melanie said, breaking Jaune's concentration as she approached him. Her hand was extended, expecting to be handed the scroll.

Jaune complied. If she wanted to take the lead from here on out that would be fine by him.

Melanie opened up the scroll, which soon enough came to life with the light of activity. "Fucking amateurs," she whispered as she began to work the buttons on the screen.

Miltia walked over to stand beside her sister to get a better look at what was on the scroll. Neither said a thing, nor did Melanie explain what she had meant by her words.

"What do you mean?" Jaune asked.

"Whoever killed Tukson should have taken this," she explained as she waved the scroll in the air. "But the White Fang are a bunch of crazy weirdos and amateurs. A bunch of civilians who don't know any better."

Jaune thought about what Melanie meant by civilians. He thought about how she and Miltia were not. The White Fang were for the most part normal everyday people who had been brainwashed or deluded into thinking that they were fighting for a just cause. They weren't real soldiers. They weren't professional in any way. The twins on the other hand... they had been working for Junior for years. Fighting, intimidation, blackmail... they _were_ experienced and skilled in those sorts of things.

He nodded, not wanting to comment on that thought. He only wanted to know if the scroll would help them. "Did he get the message?"

Melanie nodded. "Yeah. He got it. And that means we have the location."

Jaune was trembling slightly, and for more than one reason. He was scared. Even if he wanted to deny that fact, his body betrayed him. He had just gotten his first real and up-close experience with death. Now they were about to go and confront the people who had done the deed. Potentially the very individuals who had taken Tukson's life.

There was another sensation, however. One which he was surprised to be feeling right now. There was anger. There was hate.

Jaune hated the White Fang for what they had done. Tukson had not been a bad person. At least not from what he had seen. Now the man was dead. Killed by those monsters in the White Fang. How many more people would they kill? How many more good people would die trying to correct their own mistakes? How many innocents who had nothing to do with the faunus plight would die in the crossfire?

He glanced over to Tukson one more time and stared into those empty eyes. He may not have been able to help Tukson, but he could still avenge him. He could give the man justice.

Huntsmen were forces of justice, were they not? They were protectors of the innocent. They shielded humanity from threats, be they Grimm or man. After today Jaune realized just how much of a threat the White Fang were. He realized how much of a blight upon civilization they were. Who were they to decide who was at fault for the problems in the world? Who were they to decide who lived or died?

The corpse that stared him in the eyes spoke louder than any words could. The corpse made more of an impact upon Jaune's mind than any news report or article ever could. It was one thing to read a story about the White Fang or hear about it on TV. It was quite another to be in the same room as one of their victims.

"How could someone do this?" he thought aloud. "How can these monsters live with themselves?" He was almost happy that he received no reply. While the twins weren't exactly innocent charity workers themselves, they had never done something like this. At least he had never seen them go this far. At least he knew that they had other sides to them. They would always be above the White Fang in his eyes.

How was it that people could be so cruel? In a world where Grimm were a threat to humanity's very existence, why were people still killing one another? Why was there racism? Why was there extremism? There was enough misery and death already. There didn't need to be any more from those psychopaths.

A huntsman would fight this. A huntsman would protect humanity from the terrorists who sought to create misery and suffering. A huntsman would administer justice upon them, and tonight Jaune was determined to rain fiery retribution down upon the White Fang. Tonight Tukson would have his justice.

* * *

Night had fallen upon Vale by the time they reached the address from Tukson's phone. She wouldn't have had it any other way.

Melanie was dressed to the nines in her favorite white and teal attire. Her boa was fit snugly around her neck, and the blades on the back of her boots were freshly sharpened. It may as well have just been another night clubbing for her. She had her usual partner in crime at her side ready to have a little bit of fun with her. However this time they had decided to make things a three-way.

She smiled to herself. She might have to remember that way of describing it just to make the boy squirm. He often did at the mention of one of her double entendres.

A glance over to Jaune showed him staring over at the warehouse which was their target. His eyes seemed different than before. They seemed harder. More focused. Maybe he was running on pure adrenaline right now, being so close to the impending fight. She couldn't imagine that he had ever swung his sword in anger before. Tonight both of them would get to see what he was made of.

Miltia on the other hand looked as passive as ever. She was used to this sort of thing, despite her earlier protests. To both sisters this was simply part of what their job entailed. However what the girl had said earlier was correct. Usually their targets were uppity business owners or other gangs. Not full-fledged terrorists.

Either way, they were still made of flesh and bone. They would fall as easily as the rest. The only difference was that these fanatics would have no regrets when they did.

A look at her scroll showed that it was almost time to go. The party wouldn't start until she walked in. When she did, the White Fang would get an ass-kicking the likes of which they'd never forget. They'd never want to screw with Junior again after tonight.

"Isn't this exciting?" she asked Jaune. She didn't bother with Miltia, already knowing what her answer would be.

"Exciting?" he answered. "Not exactly the word I'd use to describe it."

"Aw, where's your sense of adventure?"

He grunted. Perhaps he was spending a little too much time around Junior lately. "Yeah that died when I got kicked out of Beacon. I'm really hoping that I won't die for real here tonight."

"Don't be scared, my little huntsman," she cooed. She moved over next to Jaune, leaning exaggeratedly against him as if he were a pillar, and having to strain to casually lay her forearm atop his shoulder. "How're you feeling? Still nervous?"

Jaune looked down at her as he spoke. "Yeah. How could I not be?"

He was tall. Annoyingly tall. She didn't like having to look up at him like that. She didn't like being looked down upon. Despite being stronger than him it almost made her feel as if he actually did have some sort of power or control over her through his height. Through sheer presence alone.

She smiled, ignoring the stupid feeling in the back of her mind and returning to reality. "Well don't worry about it, boy toy. You stick with me and I won't let them lay a finger on that pretty little blonde head of yours. 'Kay?"

The boy frowned, but nodded wordlessly.

"Good. I'd hate you to get hurt when you lose your V card tonight."

Jaune's eyes widened in response. Even Miltia sent a questioning look her way.

Melanie giggled, poking Jaune in the arm gently. "You're so easy," she smiled. He really was just too fun to screw with. "V for violence. Though if you really wanna..." she trailed off deliberately.

"Can we maybe not joke around at a time like this?" he asked.

And a total buzzkill at other times. She needed to get him drunk again. That had been fun. To be in complete and total control over him at that time had been great. She had vague memories of sharing drinks with him a few days ago, but the details were all too hazy. She wondered what had gone down that night and how much he had to drink.

The girl sighed. Maybe she would have to be a little responsible right now. This was his first time, after all. He needed someone experienced like her to help him get through the night.

She reached up, grabbing his head in both hands and bringing it down closer to her level. Her forehead pressed against his, their eyes locked in this uncomfortably close position. "Don't hold anything back tonight, okay?"

"Melanie, what-"

"Shh," she silenced him. "Listen to me. These people are crazies. They're killers. If you hold back you're going to die. Got it? We wouldn't want you to end up like Tukson now would we?"

She heard his jaw clench at the mention of the man's name. Clearly it had affected him negatively. Perhaps even more so than herself.

Melanie had seen her fair share of death in her young life. None while working for Junior. However back when she was young, back when Mountain Glenn fell, there had been death. More than she and her sister could have ever dreamed of. While she wasn't numb to the experience, seeing Tukson had not been the first time she had laid eyes upon a corpse.

It took a moment, but Jaune responded. "I won't hold back," he whispered. "Not when I've seen what they do."

There was a certain edge in the boy's voice. He was taking this seriously. That was a good thing. The boy who had been tricked into showing her mercy on the sparring mats would not survive this. He needed to be more than that. He needed to be like her and Miltia.

"Good."

Speaking of Miltia, Melanie looked over in her direction after releasing Jaune's face. A glance at the girl showed no signs of jealousy or anger at the fact that she had just been so close to the boy's face. However Melanie knew that her sister had a thing for him. Even if the younger girl wouldn't admit it to herself just yet.

"You two ready?"

Both Jaune and Miltia nodded.

They were as ready as they'd ever be. It was nine o'clock, and the meeting would just be getting underway. There was no better time to crash it than now.

"Let's go."

Without another word Melanie took the lead, Miltia on her right and Jaune on her left. The formation was reminiscent of the flying pattern which certain birds used. It was almost fitting in a way.

Miltia's little baby bird was about to leave the nest for the first time, and she would be there to witness it. It was thrilling. Tonight he would spread his wings and attempt to fly. Would he soar, or would he crash back down to earth?

The warehouse was a filthy, run-down, and abandoned looking place from the outside. The perfect hideout for the kind of scum who would be inhabiting it tonight. She wondered if the interior would be any better. She had her doubts, considering that it was probably only a temporary safe house. It would serve its purpose and then be left to whoever decided to use it next.

The doors were in sight when they saw the first of their opposition. A masked man clad in black and white stood at the door, a rifle held in both hands. He did not raise the weapon, but he was aware of their presence as they marched toward the warehouse entrance.

"If you're here for the meeting you're late," he called out as they approached. "You can get yourselves masks once you're-"

He never finished his sentence as Melanie thrust a forearm against his throat, driving him into the warehouse wall. His weapon clattered to the ground, and he used his free hands to try and push the offending appendage off his throat. It was to no avail, and a moment later Melanie slammed an open palm into his forehead.

The guard's head slumped forward, and she let him collapse down onto the concrete ground in a crumpled heap.

Melanie turned back, looking at Jaune with gleaming emerald eyes. "Totally just an appetizer for the main course," she smirked. "Get ready."

Without waiting for his response she pushed opened the door and stepped inside.

It was a dimly lit and dreary looking place. It suited those who were in attendance. Ahead of her Melanie could see the backs of what looked to be several dozen individuals. Most of them wore plain civilian clothes with no uniformity to them. These were clearly the new recruits which Tukson had mentioned. A smaller portion of the people wore the same black and white garb that the guard outside had. Some appeared to have weapons secured to their backs while others wore smaller side arms at their waists. In either case simple firearms shouldn't prove to be too much trouble.

The trio strutted deeper into the warehouse, an unmistakable swagger in Melanie's steps as her head turned back and forth to take everything in. Those who dared to meet the death glares she sent their way quickly averted their gazes rather than risk being the target of the dangerous girl's attention. The faunus around them parted like the sea before the prow of a ship. It was an intoxicating feeling. To intimidate those around her, to have control over their actions, it was like a drug. And Melanie needed her fix.

Ahead of them was a raised platform acting as a stage of sorts where a few of the White Fang members currently stood. One of them was speaking on a microphone in front of a large, hand-made banner with the organization's logo painted on it. All around her she began to hear people speak in hushed whispers as she passed them. She enjoyed the attention being heaped upon her.

"Why aren't they wearing masks too?" she heard one of them say.

"Are they even faunus?"

"Why are there humans here?"

"Is this a sting?"

She smirked at the last question. It was in a way. Only she wasn't the police. However that little detail would do nothing to stop her from breaking up this little meeting.

As she neared the stage she got a good look at the man who was speaking. At first glance he didn't appear to be anything special. He wasn't particularly tall, nor bulky. He just wasn't intimidating to begin with. She wondered if he was just another one of the civilian-soldiers who had been recruited to the terrorist cause, and this one simply had a talent for speaking to large crowds. It wouldn't surprise her with this hodgepodge operation.

His speech slowed to a halt as he saw her and her cohorts ascend the few small steps to the stage. With his attention focused squarely on her now, he spoke. "I'm sorry, miss. But this stage is for-"

"Shut up," Melanie snapped, prompting the man to obey. He began to look around, and a few of his comrades moved over to stand by his side. "Who, _the fuck_ , is in charge around here?"

The man looked to his sides, as if to be sure that his backup was there and ready to act at a moment's notice. "I am," he said, jabbing his chest with a thumb. "Now what do you want?"

What did she want? Power. Wealth. Control. Alcohol. However, this man would be unable to provide her any of these things. She would have to settle for a consolation prize on this evening.

"Two things," she said as she held up a pair of fingers. "One, I want to give you a message from Junior. Vale is his turf. Stay the fuck out of his business."

The terrorist looked around once more. Even with his eyes hidden behind a mask she could tell that he was confused. He was probably just some lower level figure in the organization with no real power. Even so, he and the rest would be able to deliver that message to his superiors.

"Who are-" he started, but was cut off once more.

"And two," she continued, her voice dominating his own. She turned to address the crowd, mainly the plainclothes civilian portion of it. "I want you to run."

Before the man could even begin to voice his confusion on her second request, he was struck with a vicious kick to the side of his head courtesy of Melanie's bladed boot. He collapsed to the ground unceremoniously, out cold from the sudden blow.

That was when it started. The screams of terror and panic were like music to Melanie's ears.

All around the stage the gathered civilians began to push and shove against one another as they attempted to flee to wherever the nearest exit was. If they weren't careful some might fall and be caught in a human stampede. Melanie wasn't sure how many of the new recruits had Aura. If she had to guess she would assume it was only a very small portion. Things could go south very quickly if the White Fang members with guns decided to open fire.

With that thought in the back of her mind she raced to close the gap with the nearest of the armed terrorists.

* * *

Jaune wished that he could say he was surprised by Melanie's provocative attitude. He wished he could say he was surprised by her seizing the initiative and delivering the first blow. Sadly he was not. That was why he had been ready.

The sound of rasping steel filled the air as he ripped Crocea Mors from its sheath and deployed his shield. There were men here with guns, and the heater shield would prove to be an invaluable asset against them. This was especially true since the twins were both unarmored and had no real defense against projectiles. While he had no doubt that their Auras would be able to protect them from the worst of it, he still did not want to take any chances. He did not want to have another corpse on his hands by the end of the evening.

There was chaos all around him as the civilians who Melanie had told to run wasted no time in doing so. Bodies had scattered in all directions, many heading back the way that Jaune and the girls had come through. He wondered if that was the only door in the warehouse. If it was then there could be a lot more harm done tonight besides what he and the Malachites were about to do.

Wasting little time Jaune charged at the nearest of the White Fang members, a man of average height who was still fiddling with the rifle which had only seconds ago been strapped across his back. With his shield raised up the blonde slammed into the man's torso, using his size and momentum to press the terrorist up against the warehouse wall. At this close distance and locked in this position Jaune had little room to wield his sword, and instead opted to hammer his foe with the fist which still clenched Crocea Mors. Three times did he strike the man in the nose, and three times did he elicit cries of pain. The third strike produced a satisfying crunch and a spew of blood from the ruined nose.

Jaune took a step back, taking in the sight of the moaning man clutching his face as red liquid leaked from between and underneath his fingers. The boy's breathing was heavy and ragged, and for a brief moment he felt twisted regret over what he had just done. Then he remembered Tukson's eyes. He remembered the blank stare of the man who had been murdered by these people. By these animals.

 _If you hold back you're going to die._

Melanie's words were fresh in his mind. He refused to die here tonight. Not when he had so much to live for. His parents. His sisters. Even the pair of friends he had made at Beacon. Whether he regretted being here at this moment or not was a moot point. He was here, and there was no turning back. At this point he had to keep fighting or he would die. There was no stronger motivator in the world.

"Jaune!"

He was broken from his stupor by a feminine voice, and he spun to see which of the sisters it was. However before he could he saw one of the White Fang members leveling his firearm and taking aim at him. Jaune instinctively hunched over and raised his shield.

The impact of the bullets upon his steel shield sent vibrations down his arm. In this position he was able to protect both his head and the majority of his torso. Seconds seemed to last an eternity as a hail of projectiles continued to rain down upon him. The sound was impossibly loud, amplified by being in an enclosed building. Soon enough the firing stopped, and Jaune peered over the top edge of the protective device to view his foe.

The masked faunus' mouth twisted in anger as he looked at the now spent pistol and tossed it angrily to the floor. As he began to pull some basic looking cudgel-like weapon from his belt Jaune knew that this was the time he had to strike.

Running forward with a snarl on his lips, Jaune brought Crocea Mors down in a long arc upon the torso of the man who had fully intended to kill him only moments ago. There was no doubt or regret now, only the primal reaction to the attempted murder he had just survived. The feel of his blade connecting with the terrorist's torso was a satisfying one. A crackling flash of Aura covered the White Fang member's body, indicating to Jaune that the strike had depleted it in a single hit. The man dropped his weapon as he staggered back in pain, and was quickly driven to the ground as Jaune swung the edge of his shield at his face. While it was unsharpened and non-fatal, the blunt force against the man's skin was more than enough to burst flesh and create a huge gash on his right cheek and jaw. A few teeth fell to the ground along with the man who was now out of the fight.

What had he been thinking? In a closed space like this with so many non-combatants around, using a firearm could have been disastrous. Had it been one of the fully automatic rifles which some of the other terrorists carried it could have been a bloodbath. It was all the more reason to hate these monsters. They had no regard for the lives of others, only their own twisted and perverted ideals. These were terrorists. They were bad people. What he was doing here was right. It was just.

Jaune's head was on a swivel and his eyes darted back and forth, looking for the next opponent to engage. It appeared that most of the civilians had escaped by this point, and the only ones who remained were the twins and the terrorists who were still in the fight.

Squeezing the leather handle of Crocea Mors, he rushed off towards the nearest foe.

* * *

The White Fang member in front of her had held his rifle up with both hands in an attempt to block her strike. To his surprise and horror her bladed heel had gone straight through the gun's stock and broke it in two.

Melanie wasted no time as she spun on a heel and delivered another savage kick to the man's gut. He doubled over in pain as he clutched his stomach, presenting a target too tempting and juicy for her to pass up. With his exposed head practically screaming to be hit, the girl happily obliged and used a rare fist to hammer the top of his skull.

It had been too long since she had gotten a release like this. Had it been the Blood Axe Gang? The Amethyst Family? She couldn't recall. In any case she needed this. To revel in her superiority over these pathetic nobodies. To remind herself that she was strong. To have no doubts that she was not the same scared and weak girl who had only survived Mountain Glenn because someone had been there to save her.

The image of a blonde girl flashed in her mind. The memory of Jaune coming in to help her followed shortly after. Her fists squeezed closed angrily.

She screamed in anger as she rushed forward to where Miltia was currently engaged with a knife-wielding foe of her own. She had no doubt that her sister would dispatch him with ease, but she didn't care. Right now Melanie just wanted to hit something. She wanted to hurt someone. This unfortunate man just happened to be the closest person to her.

Leaping in the air when she was close, she sent a powerful boot into his exposed side, sending him tumbling away on the ground in a manner reminiscent of a charging Boarbatusk.

Miltia turned to look at her, unsurprised by her presence but still somewhat annoyed. "Having fun?" she asked sarcastically.

Melanie flicked a few errant strands of hair from her face. She grinned at her sister's question. "Duh. I haven't had this much fun in weeks."

Her twin suddenly turned, the girl's head scanning the area quickly. "Where's Jaune?"

The elder twin joined in the search herself, and it didn't take long to find the answer. Over in the distance probably around twenty feet away from them they found the blonde boy currently engaged in a melee of his own against an axe-wielding member of the White Fang. The details of what she saw surprised her.

The pure and clean white of his armor and shield was stained with specks and sprays of red. There was only one explanation to where it had come from and how it had happened.

Melanie's tongue ran over her lips as she saw him fight.

Jaune raised his shield up to block the downward swing of the terrorist's axe, a blow which could have cleaved a civilian's arm from his torso. In response Jaune pushed the man's weapon arm aside before delivering a thrust of his own with the tip of his sword. The White Fang member staggered back, clearly in pain, but his Aura having absorbed the worst of the blow.

Pressing his advantage she saw how Jaune did not hesitate to follow up on his attack, lashing out with a boot of his own and catching the terrorist in the stomach. Much like Melanie's own opponent from before, the man doubled over from the kick to his midsection, and Jaune delivered his own finishing blow as he drove the pommel of his sword down upon the back of his skull. The terrorist collapsed to the floor like a sack of potatoes and did not stir afterward.

Jaune had clearly taken her words to heart. He wasn't holding back. He wasn't showing mercy. He was fighting for his very life. There was a desperate savagery in his attacks. No quarter was being asked, and none was being given. The innocent baby bird which had left the nest had become a fearsome raptor.

It was kind of hot.

"Look at our little huntsman go," Melanie said proudly. "Maybe he'll be okay after all."

Miltia said nothing as she stalked away toward one of the few opponents still standing. Melanie could tell that she was not too happy at the moment. She didn't even need to see the look on her twin's face to realize as much. The maelstrom of different emotions raging inside of her told the whole story.

* * *

Claws flashed as one of the last White Fang members was cut down. He had fallen easily just as the rest had. These were not soldiers. They weren't even up to par with the gang members she and her sister tangled with. At least those people had some sort of combat skill which had been forged while fighting on the mean streets of Vale. These people on the other hand... they were simply civilian thugs who had been handed uniforms and weapons. They were shop owners. They were restaurant employees. They were postal workers. Regular, ordinary people who had no training or experience in fighting. It was pathetic. It was infuriating.

Miltia shook her head, not wanting Melanie's own combat lust to start to adversely affect her. She had to keep a level head. Someone had to watch over her sister who would often get caught up in the moment and lose herself in the action. Someone had to watch over the boy who was fighting for his life for the first time. The boy who was adapting a little too well to this sort of life.

She took a deep breath, and was surprised when she was able to hear herself exhale. Looking around her Miltia realized that the sounds of combat had died down completely, and only the cries and moans from the defeated but still conscious White Fang members filled the room. Broken and twisted bodies lay strewn across the warehouse, and in places there were splashes of blood from the wounds inflicted upon them by the trio of teens.

Her head moved back and forth as she stalked the floor, making sure that none of the faunus fighters were trying to make a move for their weapons in some misguided notion of putting up further resistance. It did not appear that any of them wanted to take further action against them. She was happy for that. Despite the fact that this fight was necessary, Miltia did not revel in the thought of hurting others. At least she didn't when her emotions were all her own.

Speaking of Melanie, she saw her twin approach Jaune, who like herself was looking around to make sure that there were no further threats. The boy was sweaty, breathing heavily, and was in desperate need of a shower to scrub the blood from his face and hair. His clothes and armor would need a thorough cleaning as well. The sight of him was horrifying and unlike anything she had seen of him before. He looked as though he had just emerged from a hands-on tour at a slaughterhouse.

Melanie was little better, her own dress stained red in certain places. It was simply part of the job, and was not the first time she had seen her sister in such a state. Luckily for Miltia her own dress hid the stains well, however she had little doubt that her own attire was wet from liquids other than her own sweat. Both would need special treatments when they were washed later tonight.

As she approached the other two, Miltia saw her sister sidle up next to Jaune before nudging him with an elbow. "You did good," she complimented him genuinely.

Jaune did not smile as he accepted the compliment. He merely nodded wordlessly.

Melanie pressed forward, probably wanting to elicit some sort of positive reaction from the boy. "Come on, wasn't that fun? Don't tell me you didn't have fun. I totally saw how you took out one of those losers. You loved it, didn't you?"

He shook his head lightly before speaking. "I don't know," he answered softly. "I wasn't thinking a lot during it all. But when I was..."

The elder twin nudged him again. Melanie had a habit of being very handsy with those she was comfortable around. "What's up?"

The blonde shook his head again and bit down on his lip. His apprehension was clear for Miltia to see. "I fucking hated them. For what they did to Tukson. I guess... I wanted to hurt them."

Miltia frowned. Jaune didn't normally say things like that. He didn't normally feel things like that. It was obvious that Tukson's death was hitting him hard, but was that the only thing which had affected his attitude?

It had been blatantly obvious earlier that Melanie approved of Jaune's actions. She had once said that he needed to learn to live in their world to survive. She had once argued that him remaining innocent would result in his death. If her sister saw something appealing in him, if she was showing her approval of his actions, those were red flags in and of themselves.

Miltia didn't like where this was going. Not one bit.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** So I suppose this is like Jaune's version of Anakin slaughtering the Tusken Raiders, only with no death and no emo whining afterward. I really need to stop comparing my story to the prequels. It's not flattering at all.

So Tukson is dead. Not a huge stretch considering he died in canon. However rather than Emerald and Mercury doing it, it was Roman and/or the White Fang. Keep in mind that Roman was originally going to be the one to take care of Tukson before Emerald and Mercury stepped in, so I don't think it's out of the question for him to give the order here.

Speaking of Roman, the meeting that they crashed tonight was not the same one as the one in Painting the Town in V2. So no Roman, no Neo, no Banesaw, no Paladins... yet.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Questions, comments or concerns? Let me know what you thought.

Thanks for reading.


	14. Chapter 14

Jaune felt as if he had aged twenty years in the span of a few weeks. Looking around it was not difficult to understand why.

He sat alone at the bar of Junior's club, a drink in front of him which was being slowly nursed. The fact that it was only soda rather than alcohol did not do much to change his perception of things. He was like every guy he had ever seen in the movies who sat alone with a drink contemplating his life. A rollercoaster life which had gone from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows, and everywhere in between. That rollercoaster did not appear to have any brakes, and these days it seemed like it only travelled at the highest of speeds. There was no getting off at this point.

To further add to his sense of maturity he was watching the evening news before work. He had never worked a job prior to being offered one by Junior. Now though after doing it a number of weeks it seemed normal. He walked around the place like he owned it, a sense of familiarity that came through experience. He knew where things were. He knew how to do things. The uneasy apprehension of the unknown had vanished, and now the only things which frightened him were the new tasks. Tasks like bartending. He was still slow, clumsy and awkward at that job, but like with all things, experience would cure those ailments.

Jaune had gotten used to seeing the pale face and light purple hair of Lisa Lavender every evening as she talked about the best and worst events happening in Vale on that given day. From Grimm attacks and violent crimes to heartwarming stories of cute animals and good deeds done, she was there to report them all. On this particular evening one story struck close to home.

"A gruesome discovery was made today at Tukson's Book Trade in downtown Vale. Authorities found the body of the bookstore's owner, Tukson, in a backroom of the store after receiving an anonymous tip from a concerned individual. No suspects are in custody, but it is believed that foul play was involved in the incident. The Vale police department has declined to offer any further comments."

The anonymous call had been made so that the man could receive the proper burial and respect that he deserved. No one would ever know that it was Jaune himself who had made that call. He didn't want them to either. Not after he had taken part in breaking into the store and looting the man's scroll from his corpse. He still felt uneasy about that, but at least it had led to some manner of retribution for the shop owner. The White Fang thugs from the meeting were in custody now, which might have some sort of an impact on their operations here in Vale. Jaune could only hope so. Tukson deserved justice after what was done to him.

His fists clenched at the thought of that justice being dished out. It had felt satisfying. It felt good. It felt like it was the right thing to do. The White Fang were terrorists. They were bad people. It was a good thing that they were beaten and locked away. As a huntsman it would have been his duty to society to see that they were dealt with so that they could never hurt anyone innocent. If huntsmen was expected to battle against Grimm to protect humanity, were humans and faunus who were also a threat really so much different?

When a human or faunus became monsters, did they not deserve to be put down as well?

That thought was worrying to him, because deep down inside he felt as though they did. When people decided to murder others for their own greed, hate, or twisted beliefs, they forfeited their right to be treated as humans themselves. They were no better than the Grimm who slaughtered innocent civilians every day. Worse, in fact. Grimm, from what Jaune understood, were simply mindless beasts. They did what they did out of instinct rather than selfish desire or premeditation. When a person killed an innocent civilian, they did so by choice.

It was why it had felt good to do what he had done. To hurt those people who had killed Tukson. To break teeth. To make them bleed. To hear their cries of pain. It was probably all merely a small fraction of the pain and suffering they had inflicted upon others. They were indeed monsters dressed in people's skin. It had nothing to do with the fact that they were faunus either. It could have just as easily been a human terrorist organization. They deserved everything that they had gotten that night, and Jaune was happy he could be the one to do it.

Did he always feel this way? Did these new experiences he had been exposed to change his beliefs? Or had the violence he experienced in the past few weeks simply desensitized him to that degree? He didn't know, and he certainly would not find a moral compass in Junior or the twins. However he knew of one person he could always count on for such an opinion. One person who he knew lived to be the hero and save the day.

Fishing his scroll out of his pocket, Jaune looked through his contact list until he found the appropriate entry. It didn't take long, seeing how it wasn't that extensive of a list. Family, a few friends from back home, and a few new friends he had made since coming to Vale. The girl in question was a part of that last category.

He hoped that Ruby would not be too busy. At this hour she should be done with classes, but he didn't want to interrupt her if she was having fun with her team or doing homework. For a brief moment Jaune thought about what his life might have been like if he had his own team at Beacon, and what he might be doing now instead of having a crisis of morality at a seedy nightclub. He squashed such thoughts before they could take root in his mind. There was no need to dwell upon what could have been.

He had no time to think about that sort of thing anyway, as Ruby soon answered her scroll. "Hey, Jaune!" she greeted warmly. "Ooh, where are you right now?"

The video call must have shown the interior of the club in the background. Jaune glanced around, taking in the brightly lit room. It looked so different when it wasn't business hours. Black walls and floors along with red and white decorations gave the place a unique look, and in this light everything was clear and detailed.

"Work," he answered. "Still a couple hours until we open, but it's not like I have much else to do right now." What he didn't choose to include was the detail that he lived a few floors above the club.

"Wow, it looks so cool," she gushed. "I mean the colors alone are awesome. But then again maybe I'm a little biased."

Jaune remembered the black and red attire that Ruby normally wore. Naturally she would have an affinity towards a place which shared those colors.

"Yeah. It's, uh... it's different for sure."

"You like it there, right?"

Did he? He couldn't say. There were certain things he liked about it. Then again there were certain things he did not. It was a difficult question to answer. Instead he chose to be vague. "It's... interesting."

That was no lie. Whether the experience was good or bad, there was no doubt in his mind that everything he had gone thought had been interesting. Everything had been new. Every person he had met had been unlike anyone he had ever associated with before. He needed to look no further than his two closest coworkers for examples of that.

"Well that's... good, right?" she asked.

He didn't know. He didn't particularly want to lie to her, not after he had already lied once before about Beacon. "I'm not sure," he said with a nervous laugh. Maybe if he tried to make it seem humorous she wouldn't press him on the issue.

If it had worked it certainly did not show on the girl's face, and she frowned before continuing. "So what's up?"

He shrugged. "Not much." It wasn't exactly a lie. Right now he was doing little more than wasting time until the club opened to the public. "But I'm not bothering you or anything, right?"

By the way her face started to shake wildly on the screen, Jaune could only imagine that the girl was waving her arms animatedly at the question. "No no! Not at all!" she insisted. "You know. Just hanging out with the team. Doing... Beacon stuff."

He didn't quite know what Beacon stuff entailed. However if she wasn't busy he could only assume it was homework. She probably would have been somewhere that didn't resemble a dorm room if she was having some sort of combat practice. And she definitely would have been outside if she was doing some sort of fun activity off school grounds.

"Oh. Well that's cool I guess."

"Yup. Cool as cool can be," she confirmed.

Jaune smiled. She was still as awkward and weird as ever. Awkweird one might say. He was glad they had stayed in touch after his departure from the school. She truly was one of a kind.

"There was something," he began uneasily. He brought a hand up to scratch his cheek before going on. "Do you remember a while back we talked about... stuff?"

She frowned again. "Stuff?"

"Yeah. Stuff," he confirmed, as if it would explain everything. When he realized it wouldn't he continued. "About... I don't know. Morals and stuff. Hurting people."

Ruby's frown deepened. Gone was the awkward girl who was on his screen only moments ago. Now she looked more like a concerned sibling. "Yeah. I remember that," she said uneasily.

He didn't want to burden her with this sort of thing. It wasn't fair to the girl. She had her own life. She most likely had her own difficulties at Beacon. She didn't need his issues on top of her own. However there was no one else he felt he could discuss it with.

"You know the White Fang, right?"

She nodded. "Yup. Well, sort of. I've heard stories."

"Do you think that bad people deserve to be punished?"

She shrugged lightly. "I mean... yeah. If people do bad things like rob a bank or something they'd go to jail, right?"

"Right," he agreed. "You remember when we helped out with that robbery, right? We did the right thing, didn't we?"

Her nodding was much more forceful this time. "Yeah. Of course we did. There were people in trouble and we helped them. We did the right thing."

Jaune had never really had any real concerns about that night. Those may have been Junior's men, but what they had been doing was wrong. There had been innocent people in danger. And since he hadn't known Ruby was a badass prodigy at the time, he wasn't about to let her deal with that burden alone.

The question had a purpose, however. A logical train of thought that he was following. He revealed his hand with his next question. "What if instead of being at the right place at the right time, we had gone out looking for trouble? What if we had gone out looking for bad people to fight?"

There was still confusion and conflict on her face as she pondered the question. "Well I mean, that's sort of what huntsmen do, isn't it? They aren't like police who you call for help. They go out and just kinda look for bad stuff to help with. Right?"

The comparison to huntsmen made Jaune feel a little better about himself. It helped to confirm his own thought process. Huntsmen were proactive like that, rather than reactive like the police. Whether it was a Grimm attack, bandits, criminals, or in this case terrorists, huntsmen sought out trouble before it could cause any harm. A huntsman would have had no problem with crashing a White Fang meeting. A huntsman would have been praised for his vigilance.

As if reading his own train of thought, Ruby connected what he had just said with one of his earlier questions. "Wait, Jaune. What does any of this have to do with the White Fang?"

He frowned. In his mind's eye he could still see the body of Tukson slumped in a chair. "You've heard about the kind of stuff they do, right?"

"Yeah."

"What if you saw it firsthand? What if you knew someone who was one of their victims? Do you think that you'd even think of them as people anymore? Would you punish them for what they did? Would you hurt them?"

He saw how Ruby inhaled deeply through her nose. All traces of playfulness and humor had vanished from her eyes, replaced with nothing but concern. "Jaune, what is going on?"

"I don't know." He laughed bitterly. It was a humorless laugh which matched the girl's expression. "I mean it's not funny or anything. I don't know why I'm laughing."

"Jaune, please tell me what's going on. If you're in some sort of trouble I can help. We all can." He assumed that Ruby was talking about the rest of her team, and most likely Yang as well. "Does this have anything to do with what we were talking about before? About the bouncer job and hurting people?"

It had everything to do with that. Only he wasn't merely a bouncer. He didn't quite know what he was. Part of him wanted to call himself a vigilante. At least that gave the impression that his actions had good intentions. After all, he had beat up a bunch of terrorists and prevented numerous others from getting wrapped up in their twisted organization.

However that had just been one incident. What if next time he and the twins went out to shake down a local business for lien? What if the next Tukson they interrogated wasn't a member of the White Fang, and was instead just some poor innocent civilian? What would that make him? A gangster? That was viewed much more harshly in the eyes of the law. There was no room for shades of grey in that scenario.

"Something like that," he answered vaguely. He wasn't about to spill the details about this new life of his to her. The thought of her knowing that he had forged his Beacon transcripts scared him. The thought of her knowing that he was a crime boss' enforcer terrified him. Ruby of all people wouldn't accept that. She wouldn't accept him.

Perhaps that was why she continued to push him for information. "I don't know what any of this has to do with the White Fang or hurting people or justice, but if you're in some kind of trouble you can tell me. You can trust me. We're... we're comrades in arms, remember? You said it yourself. The strongest bonds are the ones forged on the battlefield," she said, paraphrasing something he had once told her.

Jaune couldn't help but smile at how much she cared. She really was one of a kind. She was someone he didn't deserve. Ruby cared only about helping others. Her dreams were genuine and pure, and her means of attaining them were honest. She had done so through her own skill and determination.

He on the other hand was a liar. A cheat. A fraud. A vigilante at best and a gangster at worst. She would be much better off without him. She didn't need to get caught up in this mess he had created for himself.

"It's nothing," he said with an uneasy smile. "I'm fine. Don't worry about it. These are all just hypothetical questions, remember?"

To the girl's credit, she was not letting him off the hook so easily. "Jaune, if you need help you have to tell me. I can fight, remember? You won't be putting me or Yang or anyone else in danger. We're all huntresses in training. This is what we do."

No. The last thing he wanted to do was get her involved, much less an entire team of Beacon students. Potentially more people as well. Actual huntsmen. It could negatively affect not only his life, but the lives of Junior and the twins as well. They all didn't deserve to suffer because of his own concerns.

"I appreciate the offer, but I really am fine," he insisted. This had to end now. It had been a mistake to call her about this. "I have to go now, but thanks for listening."

"Jaune, please-"

"See ya later, Ruby."

With the push of a button the call ended.

Jaune took a deep breath. His desire to make him feel better about himself may have just made things worse.

Was he a good person for wanting to fight the White Fang? Or was he a bad person for enjoying the fact that he made them suffer?

Did the ends justify the means? Were his motivations selfish?

They were all questions he did not know the answers to. For some reason he had hoped Ruby would.

* * *

Melanie stood near the doors as she waited for the conversation to end. She hadn't intended to come downstairs and walk in on the middle of Jaune's crisis of morality, but she had. However she had fully intended to eavesdrop on the conversation. One with that scared little girl Ruby Rose of all people. Just who was she and what was her connection to the boy?

A few choice words and phrases stood out to the white-clad girl. Comrades in arms. Bonds forged on the battlefield. Huntresses. Ruby was a huntress. Or at least a student at Beacon Academy. Perhaps she had met him during Jaune's brief stay before being found out as a fraud. Melanie wondered if the girl knew that little detail about his life. And what was with that one comment about stopping a robbery?

It didn't matter. Fuck little miss Ruby Rose. If Jaune did meet her at Beacon that meant he had met both herself and Miltia first. And technically speaking, he had met _her_ before Miltia even, considering that her younger sister had been unconscious when he arrived. Therefore out of all of them, Melanie had the strongest claim on the boy. She had known him the longest. Even if it was only by a couple minutes.

Miltia would probably want to kill her if she knew her elder sister was having such thoughts. Well, what the girl didn't know wouldn't hurt her.

It pissed her off that he was associating with trash like Ruby. An ignorant little girl who thought that being a huntress was some great and noble thing. Where were the huntresses when her home was being overrun by Grimm? Where were the huntresses when her parents were killed because there weren't enough trains to evacuate them? Where were the huntresses when the tunnels had been sealed off from the rest of the kingdom? If it hadn't been for Junior both she and Miltia would be dead. They'd just be another pile of bones littering the tomb that was Mountain Glenn.

As far as she was concerned, Jaune didn't need anyone like that in his life. She and Miltia were enough for him. Too much for him to handle in fact, if she were to be honest with herself. Miltia would protect him. It was what her sister did best. The girl would undoubtedly succeed in doing so with the crush she harbored for the boy. She wouldn't allow any harm to come to him as long as he was within her reach.

Meanwhile she would show him the ropes and teach him how to survive in the real world. A world where there wasn't always some fancy huntsman there to save you. He would soon come to realize that you couldn't count on them for anything. There were no such thing as heroes. Even Junior, the man who had been her and Miltia's own personal hero, had only been so because he had been in the right place at the right time. It wasn't because of any great or noble ideals that the man harbored. He could have just as easily saved someone else instead of them. It had all been luck. Nothing more, nothing less. While it didn't make her any less grateful to him for what he had done, she was only being honest with herself.

When Jaune's call with the girl ended she advanced. There was an innocent and carefree motion in her steps, as if she had just come down from her room and overheard nothing of the conversation. However she could tell that the boy was at some sort of crossroads in his life. He was struggling with what he had done the other night at the White Fang rally. She had probably felt the same at one point in her life, back when she had first been introduced to inflicting pain and violence upon others. However she had learned long ago that such things were necessary in order to survive. It was either you or them. You had to live for yourself or you would die.

The deliberate clicking of her heels announced her presence, and Jaune turned to see her approach. His eyes did not hold the same optimism that they once had when they first met. When he had been so proud of his father being a huntsman, and wanting to be one himself. No, these eyes were filled with conflict. With doubt. She would have to be the one to set him straight.

"What's up, little huntsman?" she smiled.

He attempted to give one in return, but the expression on his lips was weak at best. "Hey, Melanie. Not much, just waiting 'til we open up to the public."

He wasn't even phased by her nickname for him anymore. How annoying. Perhaps she would need to come up with something new. Or she would just need to step up her game entirely. Watching the blonde squirm beneath her influence was always an entertaining time.

Melanie took a seat in one of the stools next to him, flipping a few errant locks of hair behind her as she gazed at him. "You alright there, big guy? You seem a little... I dunno. Unfocused."

She knew why. She had heard almost everything. However Melanie simply wanted to see where the conversation would go.

Jaune shrugged lightly. "It's nothing too big. Don't worry about it."

Green eyes narrowed in response to his words. So he trusted Ruby but not herself? Why did he feel comfortable pouring his heart out to that little girl and not her? The two of them had cracked skulls and spilt blood together the other day. As far as she was concerned that was a major bonding moment. To fight beside another person. To put your life in the hands of another. And he didn't trust her enough to talk about it?

She decided to steer the conversation in that direction, seeing how he wasn't about to do so himself. "So like, how're ya doing after that whole White Fang thing? We kicked a lot of ass, didn't we?"

A bit on the blunt side, but Melanie was nothing else if not direct. She didn't dance around issues like her sister did. Miltia was the far more cautious and careful twin. It was one reason she was having so much trouble admitting her little crush to both herself and the target of her affection.

Melanie did not have the same problem. If she wanted something, she would take it. If she wanted someone, she would take them. And if Miltia wasn't going to make a move on the boy...

"Yeah," he agreed. The word sounded hollow though. "We did."

She smiled again. "It felt good, didn't it? After what they did to Tukson and stuff."

That seemed to be the magic word which was needed, as she saw Jaune's body stiffen at the mention of the man's name. Apparently all it took to appeal to Jaune's sense of justice and morality was to bring up the murder of the shop owner.

He nodded. "Yeah." The word had more conviction in it this time. Like he meant it.

The girl stood, walking over behind the bar and browsing through a number of bottles which lined the wall. "'Cause, you know, they deserved it, right? Those stupid fucks are terrorists. They had it coming."

For long seconds there was silence. Finally after Melanie had made her choice she turned back around to look at the blonde boy. Maybe doing so was what prompted him to finally reply.

"I guess," he admitted.

Grabbing a small glass she slid it over to where she had been sitting before looking at him again. "You want some?" she asked, holding up a second glass.

He shook his head, motioning to the half-empty glass of soda he had in front of him. "Nah. I'm good."

She was disappointed for a moment, but not surprised. One day she would get him totally wasted again. And it would be a fun time for all.

He was right on one thing, however. He was good. He had done well in that fight. The images which filled her memory still made her feel tingly in all the right places from time to time.

She moved back over to her stool, nudging it slightly closer to his own before taking a seat. "You did good too," she added onto his last comment. "At the warehouse I mean. Gotta say, I totally didn't expect you to be so... I dunno. Aggressive."

Blood had stained the pure white armor plates which covered his chest and shoulders. It was symbolic in a way. The innocent and clean-cut young man had been sullied by her own world, and there was no going back after that. There was a potential for violence in him in a way she had not expected when the naive little huntsman had first walked into her life. The thought was an intriguing one.

Melanie wanted to see more of that side of him. She wanted to nurture that potential within him. It was for entirely selfish reasons, however she could argue that it was indeed for his own good. If she could break him from that stupid little dream of wanting to be a huntsman, and instead show him what life was really all about, then it would only benefit him. And if she happened to get her own personal little boy toy in the process, then that made it all the better.

Even now after the heat of the moment had passed, the imagery of Jaune imposing his will upon the White Fang members had been hot. To see him breaking noses and cut people down with his sword was a welcome change from the boy who had treated her like a damsel in distress. If he could be trained and molded in her image, if he could become her partner in crime in an entirely different way than Miltia was...

"Do you think I went too far?"

Melanie was stirred from her thoughts by the question. It took her a moment to collect herself. "Huh?"

"At the warehouse," Jaune clarified. "Do you think I went too far?"

Not a chance. Those fucking fanatics deserved it. Those pieces of shit. Those animals who were moving in on Junior's territory. They deserved far worse, in fact. "No," she answered firmly. "You did the right thing. We all did."

He frowned, but nodded. "They were bad people, right?"

People was a stretch. Melanie wasn't a racist, but when she was angry she could sometimes lose herself in using derogatory words and phrases she would not otherwise utter. "Yeah," she confirmed.

"They would have hurt other people someday if we hadn't gone there. Innocent people."

It sounded as if he was trying to convince himself of that fact more than her. Still, he wasn't exactly wrong. Terrorists didn't discriminate when it came to who was caught in the crossfire of their stupid war.

"Yup," she agreed.

Melanie took a sip from her drink. She would let himself believe whatever he needed to in order to be okay with what he did. She didn't give the violence a second thought. That was just the world they lived in. That was just life. Whether it was by the hands of a human, a faunus or Grimm, you could die at any time on any day. The world just sucked like that.

It was all the more reason to cherish what you did have in your life. It was why you had to live it to its fullest. Melanie had taken lovers in the past, but never anything long-lasting or serious. They had simply been a way to enjoy life. It had been a while since she had gotten any though. She glanced back over to the boy next to her. Jaune wasn't bad looking. He wasn't super attractive like some of the club's regular patrons, but he wasn't hard on the eyes either. He had a good physique, a cute face, and he was tall. All in all, he was very acceptable.

He might be a good post-fight fuck while she was still riding high on adrenaline. It wasn't as if she had very many options beyond scratching that itch herself. As far as she was concerned Jaune was the only option among those in Junior's employ. He was convenient, living in the same building as herself. He was safe, not being one of the filthy sleazebag customers who tried to hook up with her on an almost nightly basis. He was young, and admittedly inexperienced, but it wasn't as if she was going to let _him_ control the pace and tempo of the action. Oh no, when it came to those fun times she was the one in control. Always and forever.

Jaune must have caught her staring at him, and she was once again broken from a non-drunken stupor by the sound of her name. "Melanie?"

She blinked a couple times before looking him in the eye rather than at his body. "Hmm?"

"You alright?"

A small smirk slipped on her lips. How precious that even now in his time of uncertainty he was concerned about her. "I'm fine," she said, adding a small nudge of her elbow to his torso. "But like, I'm supposed to be the one asking you that, right? You seem kinda off today. Don't deny it."

He shrugged. "You noticed?"

Even without overhearing his conversation with Ruby, Melanie would have been able to tell he wasn't exactly in a good place mentally. He may as well have had a bright neon sign flashing on him saying 'I'm conflicted'.

"Duh. You don't ask the kind of questions you just were unless you were like, having doubts or whatever."

Jaune grunted. Maybe he had been spending a little too much time around Junior. If the boy began to replace words with guttural noises on a regular basis she might need to separate the two for a time. Maybe give him a little rehabilitation. She didn't even know what that thought meant, but it sounded provocative enough. One which would undoubtedly make him blush if spoken with the right inflection.

It wouldn't do to have him wallowing here in his own worries. He was one stiff drink away from being a walking cliché. Might as well put those idle hands to good use.

"Make me a drink, mister bartender in training?" It was more of an order than a question.

He motioned with his head down to the glass in front of her. "You're not even done with that one yet."

With a roll of her eyes Melanie picked it up an downed the remaining contents in a single gulp. It hadn't been much, and her throat had long gotten used to the taste and burning sensation it left behind. "Problem solved," she said happily.

He frowned, but slowly pushed his stool out and made his way behind the bar. Her eyes followed him every step of the way. Not bad. Not bad at all.

Soon enough he was in front of her now, his hands pressed down upon the counter in a very Junior-esque manner. Not a good mental image to compliment her previous thoughts.

"So what'll you have?" he asked.

She hadn't thought that far ahead. So she merely fell back to a joke she had made long ago. "Make me one of those fruity girl drinks you like."

With a sigh he began to rummage around for a few bottles behind the bar. "You know it's really not funny when you make that joke more than once."

More than once? "What do you mean?"

"You already used that one. Maybe a week ago?"

Melanie did not remember making that joke before. Maybe he was just mistaken. "No way," she said. "When?"

"That night you drunk text spammed me until I came down to the bar?" The way he said it told her that he obviously expected her to remember it. She did not, however.

Melanie did have vague recollections of texting him. There was proof of it on her scroll, after all. However the rest of that night was nothing more than a hazy blur. So she had used that joke on him once already and forgotten. What else might she have said that night?

The boy seemed confident in whatever he was making, however. That alone piqued her interest. "So whatcha making?"

"It's called a strawberry sunrise. The last time you had it you said it was really good. And sweet."

The name sounded familiar. She could not place where she had heard it though.

He poured the contents into a tall glass with confidence she had not seen him possess before as a bartender. That was proof enough that he had indeed made the drink before. It was a little concerning. Most of the time she got blackout drunk, Miltia was there to take care of her and escort her back to her room. What if instead of Miltia it had been Jaune? With absolutely zero filter on already loose lips, what might she have said to him? Probably nothing bad, since he was still hanging around the club and didn't seem to be treating her any differently than before.

Moments later he presented a colorful glass to her with various layers of red, orange and pink. "Ta-da," he deadpanned.

It looked almost too pretty to ruin by drinking it, but at the same time she wanted to consciously drink something she had apparently enjoyed once before.

"Wow, look at you making drinks like a fucking pro," she returned with much the same tone of voice. "Pretty soon you'll have all the ladies stuffing tips down your pants hoping that they'll get 'em off."

He snorted. "Yeah, like that'll ever happen."

Crazier things have happened in Junior's club. Skilled and attractive bartenders just happened to attract members of the opposite, and sometimes same sex. It was an odd phenomenon which was usually fuelled by alcohol and some strange, misguided sense of trust placed in the person behind the counter who listened to all of the problems in your life.

Pulling a lien note from her pocket, Melanie gazed at the boy who now eyed her cautiously. "Why wait for tonight?"

"Wait, what?"

"I should reward my bartender for his service, right?" She leaned over the counter, aiming to slip the note down his waistband. Watching him run out of room as he tried to back away was just icing on the cake. It was so much fun to watch him squirm. "Come back, boy toy. Take your tip."

Just as Melanie outreached arm was about to find its target, a voice behind her stopped her dead in her tracks. "Don't tell me you're drunk already."

Fucking clam-jammer.

She turned to see her sister approaching with a frown on her face. Melanie would have said it was in order for her sister to protect her man from another's advances, but Miltia had put no claim on him. Until she had he was fair game to anyone and everyone, including that one black-haired rip off bitch from the other night. Even that little kid Ruby Rose.

Miltia took a seat next to her where Jaune had once been. Melanie sent a glare her way. "No, I'm not drunk," she said defensively.

"Whatever. So what's going on here?"

"Oh nothing," Melanie answered dismissively. "Just talking about the warehouse party we had."

Miltia's attention turned from her sister over to the boy behind the counter. "Why, is something wrong?"

Her voice barely hid the concern she was obviously feeling. Melanie knew her sister hadn't liked what she had seen that night. She didn't want Jaune to grow comfortable with that sort of lifestyle. She didn't want him to be good at it. Well, that was just too bad. He'd have to become a confident and ruthless fighter if he wanted to make it in this world. It didn't even have to be about the huntsman profession either. Unless you wanted to be some soft, squishy civilian at the mercy of others to protect you, you had to know how to fight. You had to be ready to go all out and hold nothing back against those who threatened you and what was yours.

"Nah," the elder twin answered in his place. "He was just telling me about how much fun it was. Isn't that right, Jaune?"

"Actually-" he began.

"Well it doesn't _have_ to be fun," Miltia countered. "It was just a job. That doesn't mean it has to be like, enjoyable or whatever."

"Well-"

"But there's totally nothing wrong if he did have a little fun doing it, _Miltia_ ," Melanie argued back.

"And if he didn't, that's fine too, _Melanie_."

"What are you, his mother?"

"No, but I've had enough practice having to act like yours."

"Uh, girls?" the boy asked.

It was so precious how he meekly tried to intervene in their conversation. Melanie thwarted that attempt before he could go on, pressing a pair of fingers up against his lips. "Shhhh. The grownups are talking right now."

Miltia swatted the offending hand away from the blonde. "Don't shove your fingers in his face."

"Oh yeah? What would you like me to shove in his face?"

"How about you shove something in your own so maybe you'll finally stop talking so much."

"Bitch, please," Melanie waved dismissively. "I'm fucking funny and you know it."

"Um, I think you've totally got the wrong idea about that. People are laughing at you, not with you."

"As if."

"Truth hurts, I know," Miltia smirked annoyingly. She placed a hand on her sister's shoulder comfortingly. "But I'm like, totally here for you."

Before Melanie could reply to that, it was Jaune who once more spoke up. "I... think I'll just leave you two to sort this out," he said as he began to walk away from the bar.

Miltia turned to face him, a hand slightly outstretched after him. "Wait, Jaune. You don't have to go."

He looked back, a force smile on his face. "Nah, it's okay. I gotta get changed for tonight anyway. Junior got me something more professional to wear, remember?"

Melanie remembered, and she was sure Miltia did as well. The black suit was reminiscent of the ones Junior's regular goons wore, only this one was a little bit more ornate in appearance. It also featured a blue tie in place of the standard red, which helped bring out the color in Jaune's eyes.

However it was the small golden double crescent which Jaune wore on his left lapel which really made it stand out. It was the same symbol which adorned his shield. A family crest, perhaps? She wondered why Junior cared so much to put that much thought and detail into the outfit.

Soon enough he was away and through the staircase doors which would lead him up to the floor where their rooms were. Melanie turned back, shooting her sister an annoyed glare. "Great. Now look what you did."

"Me?" the younger twin asked incredulously. "You were the one who basically told him to shut up."

"Whatever. Things were going just fine until _you_ showed up."

"Oh yeah? Is that why he was trying to get away while you were leaning over the bar like some tipsy whore wanting to get into Hei's pants?"

He totally had not been doing that. Sure, he may have been a little bit uncomfortable at the thought of her shoving lien down his pants, but it was all just a joke. All just another way to get him flustered in that so Jaune-like way he did. But no, Miltia had to come down and interrupt her fun.

"Whatever," Melanie whispered.

A momentary silence fell over the room as both girls sat at the bar. Melanie's half-drunk strawberry sunrise was still in front of her, and she took another sip. It really was good. It may have lacked the punch of a stronger drink, but the taste was worth the trade in that department. Maybe she should enjoy them more often.

Surprisingly it was Miltia who broke the silence first. "So how is he really?"

Melanie shrugged. "Fine, I guess." She remembered Jaune's conversation with Ruby. While she did enjoy teasing her sister, she didn't want her to get overly-jealous about the strange redhead and whatever relationship she might share with Jaune. "He's still like, kinda shaken up by the whole Tukson thing."

"About what we did to him?" Miltia asked worryingly.

"No. That he died."

"Oh."

"Like, he's okay with kicking the White Fang's ass because of it I guess," she surmised.

"I guess that makes sense..."

She shrugged again. It didn't have to make sense as far as she was concerned. It Jaune wanted to use Tukson's death as a catalyst to change and adapt to a bloody and cruel world, that was fine by her. In the end it would all be for the best. No matter how much Miltia was against the idea.

Miltia stood now, shoving the stool back into place as she walked away. "I guess I'm gonna get ready too."

"Go for it."

With her sister leaving too, Melanie was alone at the bar. She couldn't say she was surprised that the other girl had left shortly after Jaune had. That little protective crush she had on him was nauseating. Either make a move, or stop pining from afar. Otherwise some other girl might just do something about it.

Be it Ruby Rose or someone much closer to home.

* * *

The past couple days of classes had been... difficult.

It wasn't the curriculum. It wasn't the exams. It wasn't even surviving more of Professor Port's stories. It was an uneasy apprehension she felt deep in her stomach. She couldn't focus. She hated it.

Ruby sat in the library, a pen tapping rhythmically on her notebook as she did. She was supposed to be studying. She was supposed to be taking notes. However she simply couldn't concentrate right now. Not when something was wrong. Not when there might be some cruel injustice in the world that she could possibly correct.

Jaune was her friend. Nothing could or would ever change that. Even if they hadn't seen each other since the morning of initiation, they had kept in touch. They still got along great. That made the fact that they weren't on the same team all that harder to bear. She had grown to enjoy her new teammates, having at last sorted things out with Weiss, but she couldn't help but wonder what might have been.

Something was wrong. Even if he denied it, even if he tried to convince her otherwise, something was bothering him. What kind of aspiring huntress would she be if she just ignored it? Sure, he wasn't a child. He was two years her senior, in fact. He could take care of himself. However, what if just this once he couldn't? What if he had gotten himself into some kind of situation where he was in trouble and he couldn't handle it alone?

Perhaps her concern was beginning to manifest itself outwardly, as her tapping was interrupted by the sound of her partner's voice. "Ruby?" Weiss asked in that forced patient tone of voice of hers. "Is something bothering you?"

Ruby looked down to her hand and ceased its movement. A small hint of embarrassment crept onto her face as she answered. "Um, I'm fine," she lied. _Wow, way to take a page from Jaune's book._

Weiss nodded. "Very well. Do try to study more quietly, please," she said as she looked back down to her own open textbook.

She tried doing so, but the words in front of her meant nothing. She would read them, but the information did not register in her brain. This was stupid. Everything was stupid. Was she just being a massive hypocrite by telling Weiss that nothing was wrong?

Ruby recalled a time several weeks earlier when Jaune had not wanted to tell her about the nightclub that he worked at. Before she thought it had been about those two girls who had answered his scroll. Like he was embarrassed about some secret, naughty relationship he was in with them. She wouldn't have cared! It wasn't as if she harbored any kind of feelings for him or anything. They were just friends. Good friends. Comrades in arms. That was like, double-friends or something.

However now she couldn't help but connect that incident to what had happened a couple days ago. How he had called her and asked more weird questions. She couldn't help but think that the reason he didn't want her coming to where he worked was because he was in some sort of trouble and didn't want her to get involved. That he didn't want to put her at risk because he was in danger.

She couldn't help but feel both touched and infuriated by the thought. It was nice that he wanted to protect her, but at the same time helping others was what she did. Helping friends was what she did. Had they not helped some innocent shop owner together the night they met? If Jaune was in trouble he should know that all he had to do was say the word and she would be there by his side. She would ensure that her whole team would be there in his time of need.

Just as her team would be there for her. No, she would not be a hypocrite. She would seek their assistance in a time like this. If nothing else, maybe getting it off her chest would allow her to concentrate on her studies until something more substantial could be done to assist Jaune.

"Hey, Yang?" she asked softly.

The girl next to her looked up from her book. "Yeah?"

"You remember Jaune, right?"

Yang's eyes looked off to the side for a second before returning to her sister. "Your buddy who puked on my boots? Hard to forget a guy like that."

"You really do keep charming company," Weiss sniped.

Ruby ignored the comment. Her partner had never met Jaune. She didn't know how cool he was or what she was missing out on by not being his friend.

"Well, he works at a club now in Vale," the redhead explained.

"Really?" Yang asked. "That's pretty cool. Nice to know he landed on his feet after that stupid transcript BS you told me about."

"Yeah," she agreed. She paused a moment, licking her lips and taking a breath before continuing. "What do you know about the White Fang?"

Her sister shot her a confused look. "Did we just completely change subjects here? What does one have to do with the other?"

There was some sort of connection. During their conversation Jaune had brought up the White Fang randomly as well. She didn't know why. However she couldn't help but feel they were involved in the boy's troubles somehow.

"No, not really. Just wondering what you know about them."

"Okay..." the blonde said uneasily. "Not much really. Just what I've heard on the news."

"Well I know a lot about them," Weiss interjected. Ruby wasn't surprised that the girl was well-read on the subject. Weiss probably knew a little bit about every topic imaginable. "They're a terrorist organization who will murder anyone who stands in the way of their twisted ideology."

Those were the kinds of stories Ruby had heard about as well. Whatever it was they were, the White Fang was rarely ever painted in a positive light by the media. Having Weiss confirm those sentiments made Ruby feel that the stories were genuine rather than mere propaganda.

"Why do you wanna know?" Yang asked.

"Yes," Weiss echoed. "Why do you even care about that gang of thugs and murderers?"

Ruby shrugged. "I dunno," she answered honestly. In reality she did not know the connection between them and Jaune. Only that he had brought them up first. Therefore she was bringing them up as well.

Yang mirrored her sister's action, and shrugged as well. "Okay then. Problem solved?"

She looked over to the one member of her team who hadn't chimed in yet. It wasn't unusual for Blake to be quiet. However it was odd for her to be shooting a glare at Weiss rather than at the book laid down in front of her.

Before the window of opportunity closed, Ruby decided to press on with the conversation. "I'm not sure what club Jaune works at," she continued. "Do you think you know a way to maybe find out?"

Yang frowned now as her attention returned to her sister. "This conversation is weird, even by your standards. You're jumping from Jaune to the White Fang and now back to Jaune. What's going on?"

Ruby wished that she knew. It would have made life so much easier.

"Yang, I think Jaune might be in trouble," she admitted. "He was acting really weird the other day. And he started talking about the White Fang for no reason. What if he was trying to tell me some sort of secret message because he couldn't say what he really wanted to?"

"What, like he was being watched or threatened or something?"

"It wouldn't surprise me," Weiss added. "The White Fang are known for their intimidation tactics, as well as targeting innocents who have nothing to do with their perverted cause."

Those words only scared Ruby even more. Jaune was absolutely innocent. He would have had nothing to do with any kind of racist agenda or terrorist organization. What if he was some sort of hostage? What if he was being blackmailed?

"I want to check up on him, but he won't tell me where he works," Ruby confessed. "Do you think there's a way we can find out?"

Yang hummed, looking down at the table. After a few moments her eyes lit up with an idea. "Maybe."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I know a guy on the bad side of town who knows about pretty much everything going down in Vale. If there's something going on with the White Fang, we could probably find out about it."

"And he might know where Jaune works?"

The blonde shrugged again. "Maybe. He's big on the club scene. So it's possible he might know about a former Beacon student being hired by one of the place's in Vale."

The thought warmed Ruby's heart. She loved Yang so much. She was always there for her, even in something like this. Ruby wished that she could be as worldly and have the kinds of connections that her sister did.

"That's great!" she exclaimed, a little too loudly if the reactions of the tables around her were any indicator. Ruby shrunk in on herself a little more before she spoke next. "When do you think we can go?"

"How does this Friday sound?"

It was a couple days away, but it was better than nothing. "Friday works. That way if we have to stay out late we won't miss curfew." Not that she would have cared even if she did. Ruby would stay out all night and break any rule she had to in order to help a friend. She would have simply dealt with the consequences down the line.

"Sounds good," Yang smiled. "It's been a while since I've gone clubbing anyway. Maybe I'll get your little boy friend to make me a drink."

"He's not by boyfriend," she protested.

"I said he was your boy friend. A friend who's a boy. Two words. There's nothing wrong about the statement, is there?"

Ruby grumbled under her breath. No, there wasn't anything _wrong_ with what Yang had said. It was just the way it was phrased which sounded wrong.

Receiving no protests, Yang continued. "Great. So it's a date, then. We're all going out to Junior's club Friday evening."

She didn't know who Junior was, but it worked for Ruby. As long as she got to the bottom of this, it didn't matter who she had to talk to. All she cared about right now was knowing that Jaune was safe.

Come Friday night, she would make sure of it.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Well, this could be interesting.

I know people have been wondering about the inevitable reunion for a while now. It's coming soon. Hopefully you'll enjoy what's coming up as much as I've enjoyed planning it for months.

As always my thanks go out to everyone for reading, favoriting, reviewing, all that good stuff. I truly appreciate all of the support you've given me over the past few months.

Questions, comments or concerns? Let me know. Your feedback is always appreciated.

Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed it.


	15. Chapter 15

This felt weird. It felt wrong. So very wrong.

Jaune was not the most bashful or self-conscious guy in the world. His joking and carefree occasionally made him the center of attention back home in his earlier years. While he wasn't the typical class clown type who acted out for attention, he didn't shy away from it either. This, though, was on an entirely different level.

He felt like a piece of meat. Meat being ogled by a pair of piranhas in a sea of black, white and red. He wondered if being on stage did that to people, or if it was just him. Why had he agreed to do this?

Sitting on an elevated platform with his guitar in hand, Jaune was preparing to "show them his stuff", as Melanie had so flirtatiously put it. As a part of her seemingly never-ending ways to try and mess with him, she had suggested that he show off his talents with the guitar he had brought with him. The very guitar that was a part of his cover story for his parents about going to an art school rather than Beacon. To his surprise and dismay, Miltia had agreed with her sister's request.

Melanie claimed it could potentially be a form of entertainment for the club's patrons if there was another source of music besides the bass-heavy club mixes that the DJ played every night. Jaune had his doubts. This wasn't the type of scene for an acoustic guitar. Nor was it the place for his amateur singing voice. No, this was all about getting him on stage and doing _something_ to get under his skin. He could sense it. He could feel it. He'd been here long enough to realize that with these two, nothing was ever surface deep.

With another couple of hours until the club opened for the night, he really had no escape from it outside of flat out telling them he didn't want to. He knew that Melanie would not react well to that. Knowing her she would tie him to a chair, tape the guitar to his hands, and threaten him under the pain of torture until he played. Miltia on the other hand...

She had been acting different lately. Something about her demeanor was off. In some ways she was more distant than she used to be. There were times where he caught her staring at him, only for her to turn her head as soon as their eyes made contact. It was weird. He knew that she was the more reserved of the two sisters, but she had never been _that_ shy.

Jaune's mind went back a few weeks ago to a night like any other. Melanie had gotten drunk as usual, and she had all but forced him to come down to the bar to keep her company. That was when she had let some rather sensitive information slip. First about Junior's real name. Then about her sister's supposed feelings for him. He still didn't know whether she was simply messing with him again, or if there was any truth to the claim.

Not that he would have a problem if there was some truth to it. Both girls were undeniable beautiful. Exotic ladies with smooth raven hair and piercing emerald eyes. Girls who most guys could only dream of being friends with, much less being involved with romantically. Miltia having feelings for him... criminal or not, would be a dream come true. He wouldn't be an honest, red-blooded Valean male if he denied noticing how she was a little bit more well-endowed than her sister too. Especially when she wore that favorite low cut red dress of hers.

Jaune had always thought that twins would have identical body types. Then again he thought twins would have matching personalities as well. He couldn't have been more wrong when it came to that. He had been wrong about a lot of things when he came to those girls. Miltia's timid nature the times they had cooked together. Melanie's fun and playful side coming out when she was drunk. They weren't just criminals. They were human beings. Teenagers just like him.

With how Miltia had been acting lately, he didn't know what to believe anymore. If it turned out that Miltia did like him as Melanie had claimed, what would he do about it?

"Come on, Jaune!" Melanie said excitedly. "What are you waiting for?"

He was snapped from his thoughts as he looked down at the sisters below the stage. Melanie was armed, blades attached to her heels in preparation for the crowd tonight. After what had transpired the night he had first met the girls, Jaune understood her desire to always be prepared. To always expect the worse.

Miltia too had her weapons at the ready, a pair of claws sitting on her lap which could be fastened to her wrists at a moment's notice. Wearing them at all times was far less practical than heeled blades. It was however better to have them nearby rather than far away in case any kind of trouble broke out.

The moment his eyes met Miltia's he looked away. He could have sworn that he saw her do the same.

Jaune shook his head. Now was not the time to be thinking of that kind of stuff. He had to focus. It had been months since he had last actually played his guitar. When the time came to eventually talk to his family again he had to look like he had made some progress.

Just as he was about to strum his first note, he was distracted once again by the crowd of two.

"Woooo!" the older twin cheered. "Take it off!"

With a roll of his eyes, Jaune lowered his hand and looked out to the noisy girl. "You know I'm not that kind of _entertainer_ , right?"

Melanie scoffed at his comeback. "Bor-ring," she complained. "Come on. Give us a real show. Naked guitar with Jaune Arc. A private show for just the two of us." She nudged her sister with an elbow. "Get it? _Private_ show?"

Miltia sighed. "You're fucking stupid."

"I am not about to strip for you," Jaune told the elder twin.

"For me," Melanie confirmed. She pointed a finger over to her sister sitting next to her. "How about for Miltia?"

Jaune's heart skipped a beat. He couldn't even bring himself to look at the other twin. Instead he looked to the floor in front of her.

He heard a dull smack, and in his periphery saw that the girl in question had swatted her sister's arm. "Would you shut up?"

"What?" Melanie asked innocently. "You know it'd be totally hot if the only thing covering him up was that nice, thick, wood..." She seemed to let the word hang in the air before finally finishing her sentence. "...en guitar."

A harder, even louder smack sounded in Jaune's ears. Laughter followed soon afterward. He didn't know about Miltia, but he felt as if his face was about to get as red as the girl's dress.

His voice came out higher than usual. "No, sorry. Not her either." Sitting up here under the bright lights must have been making his throat dry. Yes. That must have been it.

He was never going to get to play anything at this rate. Honestly it wouldn't bother him much. Being a bouncer was fine. He could even handle a little bartending. But being the live entertainment? That was something which he was both unfamiliar and uncomfortable with. It was never the path he would have chosen for his life. That was why he had dreamed and attempted to become a huntsman rather than a musician.

"Bet you would do it for Ruby," Melanie muttered. However she did so loudly enough so that he could hear the words. He was certain she had done so on purpose too.

The look Miltia gave her afterward screamed disbelief. Perhaps she was too shocked to even smack her sister for the third time in the span of a minute. "What is wrong with you?" she asked.

"What? I only said it because I know you wanted to."

"I did not!"

This was going nowhere fast. In a way he was glad that this was finally out in the open. Jaune had known about the twin's answering his scroll and talking to Ruby for weeks now. It simply wasn't a big enough deal to actually address. Like he had said before, growing up with seven sisters made him used to such trivial things.

Focusing on this also meant he didn't have to play for the girls. That was a plus to him. In the end he came out ahead. They just didn't know it.

Their sisterly squabbling went on another few seconds before Jaune finally decided to intervene. "So when's the last time you two answered my scroll?"

The silence which fell over the room was deafening. It only lasted for a few moments.

Miltia pointed accusingly over at her sister. "I didn't answer it. She did!"

At least Miltia had the decency to look guilty about it. He didn't doubt her sincerity either. Even if it hadn't been her who answered, she had been there. Perhaps she could have done something to stop her sister. Maybe that was enough for her to feel some level of guilt.

Melanie on the other hand maintained unwavering eye contact with him. There was a defiant and smug smirk on her lips that told him she wasn't about to apologize for the breach of his privacy. He wouldn't have expected any less from the girl.

He sighed and shook his head. "And for the record, no. I wouldn't."

The girl scoffed, rolling her eyes before looking away. "Whatever."

"No but really," Miltia insisted. "It was her."

"Shut up," Melanie snapped. "Snitches get stitches, remember? And so do bitches."

Well this was a golden opportunity if he ever saw one. This was his out. It wouldn't even be his fault too if he spun it the right way. Nope. It was all their fault for ruining the mood. For killing his desire to play anything. Maybe there's even be some sort of added bonus of convincing them to get along better in his presence.

However before he could utter a word about his cancelled performance there was a loud thud from the club's entrance.

Both girls looked over in the same direction. Melanie was already on her feet. Miltia was quickly fastening her claws to her wrists.

"The fuck was that?" Melanie asked as she began to move over towards the double doors. Miltia followed close behind her.

Jaune set his guitar down and reached over to touch his left hip. Crocea Mors wasn't there, and for a split second his heart skipped a beat. A reassuring look back to the 'audience' area showed his sheathed weapon leaning up against a chair.

Hoping for the best, but expecting the worst, Jaune went down to retrieve his weapon and join the girls in discovering the source of the noise.

* * *

Yang hadn't been lying when she said it was the bad side of town. It was... oddly familiar.

Ruby wasn't too familiar with Vale. She'd only been there a handful of times in her life. Most recently was the night she had gone to that dust shop, stopped a robbery, and met Jaune. Still, even though that place had been a live crime scene, it hadn't seemed bad. There had been civilians around. It was brightly lit. It was clean. It was... nice.

This wasn't nice. This was the opposite of all of those things in fact.

Trash littered the sidewalks and roads. Street lights here and there were burnt out and in need of dust crystal replacements. Buildings were dull and featureless. She couldn't help but feel that she had been here before.

That was when she saw it. A large building which looked little different than any of the others. Made of brick and with large arched windows, she could vividly recall a man crashing through one of them before landing on the pavement before. She had in fact been here. Both she and Yang had.

This... this wasn't good. She looked over to her sister, who walked with her usual carefree swagger. "Yang...?"

The blonde turned to her sister. "Hmm?"

"Isn't this... the place you messed up a while back?"

Yang shrugged. "Yeah, but it's okay. The guy who runs this place is a giant softie, and he has a soft spot for me. Trust me, I'd know. I've felt that soft spot."

"You what!" another voice screeched.

Ruby closed her eyes and winced. Weiss clearly wasn't amused by Yang's joke. The shrill tone of her voice made that apparent for all of Vale to hear.

"I do hope that's a figure of speech," Blake added.

A hopeful look over to her sister soon vanished, and Ruby felt her stomach drop. The shit-eating grin on Yang's face spoke volumes.

Weiss huffed in annoyance. Ruby didn't know if it was because she hadn't received clarification, or if she had taken the blonde's words at face value and was just displeased. Whatever it was, her annoyance was apparent in her voice. "I still don't see why we have to come along," she complained. "I've never even met this Jaune person."

"Oh, you'll like him," Ruby said excitedly. "He's super cool. And he wanted to be a huntsman. And he has a weapon. And he-"

"And he was able to put up with Ruby for more than five minutes so she latched onto him," Yang interrupted.

Ruby's face scrunched up as she glared over to her sister. "Yang!"

"What? It's true."

"No it's not!" she pouted. "Me and him are just alike. Two heroes who want to do the right thing. Helping the helpless. All that cool stuff."

"If he's so strong then why does he need our help?" Weiss asked.

Honestly Ruby didn't know if he did in fact need her help. She was guessing. It was an educated guess, based on his behavior the past couple of times they had spoken. It wasn't like him to be like how he had been. He sounded tired. Depressed. He talked about a lot of dark subjects. Like hurting people. Or even killing people. Ruby didn't know what was going on, but whatever it was, it wasn't good. For that reason alone she wanted to go see him. She had merely brought her team as backup just in case her worst fears turned out to be true.

In case he had gotten mixed up with the White Fang.

"I dunno," she admitted. "Just a feeling."

"Yes, but why-"

"Team bonding exercise!" she squawked, cutting off her partner. "That's why!"

Apparently her outburst did little to deter the heiress' interrogation. Ruby wasn't surprised in the slightest.

"I'm sorry, are you abusing your position as the team's leader in order to pursue your own personal interests?"

She was about to protest the question, but Yang stepped in before she could. "Ugh, I thought we were over this whole thing already."

Ruby thought so too. There had been some growing pains in getting the team together and working as a well-oiled machine, but it had finally happened. Early on Ruby's leadership had been brought into question. However that had been resolved thanks to some words of wisdom from their professors.

"I'm not saying that because I want to be the leader," Weiss said. "I simply feel that it is a valid point worth discussing."

A good leader had to listen to their subordinates. They had to admit when they were wrong too. Ruby wasn't too big or full of herself to ignore either of those lessons. "No, you're right, Weiss," she admitted. "This is personal. It's because he's my friend that I want to help him. Just like I'd do anything or go anywhere to help any of you," she said as she gestured to the three other girls. She then held her arms out as if putting the whole world on display. "Or even anyone not on our team."

She wasn't lying about either of the points. Sure, she had a vested interest in helping Jaune because they were friends. However helping people was simply what she did. It was who she was. It was what she wanted to do. If given the opportunity she would help anyone she could. Be they a friend or a stranger.

Weiss sighed, a frown forming on her lips before she spoke. "I suppose you make a good argument. We can't very well turn our backs on a civilian who is in need of our assistance. Especially if the White Fang is involved."

"And besides," Yang chimed in. "The guy in there still owes me a drink. It's a win-win for everyone."

While Yang's motivation was a bit more on the selfish side, Ruby wasn't about to argue it. She was here, and that was all that mattered. If the blonde girl just happened to be able to enjoy herself while out on this little fact finding mission, there was no harm in that.

The building looked different without a gaping hole in one of its front windows. Whoever owned the place had fixed it up nicely. So much so that it didn't look like there had been a huge barroom brawl in recent history. Ruby wondered what it looked like inside though. She knew one should not judge a book by its cover. Or a building by its... exterior.

Strolling up to the doors, Ruby gave the handle a tug, but found that it would not budge. She turned back to the rest of the group and shrugged. "It's locked."

"Great. What a waste of a perfectly good night which I could have spent studying," Weiss said.

Yang snickered. "That's your idea of fun on a Friday night?"

"Well it would have certainly been a lot more productive than this."

The blonde girl pushed past them to stand in front of the door. "You people give up way too easily. If you can't find a way, you gotta make one."

Before anyone could say another word Yang lashed out with a leg. Her foot made solid contact with the door's handle, and in an instant she had succeeded in making her own way inside. Whether the lock had been destroyed or the hinges, Ruby didn't know. All she knew was that they now had access to the inside of the club.

Still, such an action didn't sit right with the redhead. "Um, Yang? Are you sure this is a good idea? I mean if they're closed..."

Yang waved off her concern. "Like I said, I know the guy. I'm sure he won't be too mad about it. And if he is, well, we all know what happened last time."

Ruby knew indeed. Images of explosions, broken glass and one particularly broken body still lingered in her memory. Her sister's own recounting of the story added even more details to the picture.

"I certainly do not," Weiss stated. "What happened? And what exactly is your history with this place?"

Yang ignored the heiress' questions as they stepped inside. "Come on. Let's go find Junior and see if we can get any useful info."

A tiny hallway led to a pair of large black glass doors. As the group approached the doors slid open on their own to reveal the inside of the club. It looked familiar. Eerily so. Had Jaune not been in a similar place the last time he had called her? It had the same black floors and walls. The same glass decorations. The same white and red lights above. This... this was too familiar. Could this actually be the place where Jaune worked?

As Ruby looked around the room in wonder a loud and angry voice filled her ears. "Hey shit-for-brains, we're not op- oh what the fuck!"

Turning to the source of the voice, Ruby's eyes went wide as she felt a shiver run down her spine. It wasn't just because she recognized the girl who had made an appearance. Nor was it the fact that her red-clad twin was armed with a pair of cruel-looking claws. It was the fact that these girls had decided to charge headlong into them.

Ruby had little time to even reach for Crescent Rose before they were upon her team. The one in white made a beeline straight for Yang, and she was soon out of sight. Ruby had a foe of her own to focus on.

The shorter-haired girl came straight at her, claws slicing through the air with a deadly swishing noise as she lashed out. It took everything Ruby had in order to evade the strikes. As she very well knew, she was not skilled at all in combat without the aid of her treasured scythe. It was no surprise when a blow finally did find its mark, and Ruby was sent tumbling backwards on the floor.

She scrambled to get to her feet, expecting the worst as the girl in red pressed her advantage. The worst never came, and as Ruby looked up she saw that Weiss had engaged the girl in question. Myrtenaster clashed with wrist-mounted claws, and now that the element of surprise was gone the fight was a lot more even. In fact it had seemingly turned in Weiss' favor, as she began to push her foe back little by little.

As she assessed the situation as a whole, she saw that both Yang and Blake were battling against the girl in white. Ember Celica had been easy enough to activate, and Blake must have drawn her own weapon while Yang held their attacker at bay. Unless the mystery girl was a truly talented fighter, then that fight was as good as over.

Wasting no time Ruby finally finished deploying Crescent Rose. As she did she could have sworn she heard someone in the background screaming, and screaming her name in particular. However it did not sound like any of her teammates, and so she ignored the cries. She couldn't be distracted now. Not when her partner needed her.

Ruby hefted Crescent Rose and prepared to throw herself into the melee once more. Before she could, however, she felt a hand grab at her shoulder. Instincts kicked in, and Ruby spun as quickly as her Semblance would allow. She was ready to slice into whatever new foe had appeared, and she swung with all of the grace and skill which had been instilled in her by her uncle.

The scythe's blade had nearly made contact with its target before Ruby had to force herself to stop mid-swing. The sudden change of momentum sent pain shooting down her arms, but it was worth it. The alternative was too gut-wrenching to even consider.

Jaune stared down at her, eyes wide as Crescent Rose's edge was mere inches away from his neck. His hand which had been previously on her shoulder was still outstretched, now holding nothing but air. And his mouth, which might have been attempting to say something, now just hung open wordlessly.

Ruby nearly dropped her scythe at the sight of him. She had been so close to seriously injuring her friend. Her own mouth tried to form words, but she failed in her first few attempts. Finally however he was able to form a coherent thought. "J-Jaune?"

The boy nodded furiously, as if he needed to convince her that it was in fact him. "Yeah. I-it's me, Ruby."

She stared into his eyes for long moments before the gravity of the situation finally returned to her. Her teammates, her friends, were engaged in battle against those two girls. The ones from when she had called Jaune's scroll. What were they doing here? What was going on?

"We have to stop them," Jaune told her. "Call your friends off."

Ruby nodded hurriedly. "Right."

It turned out that her friends were not the ones in danger. The girl in white who was being double-teamed by Yang and Blake was on the ground and apparently nursing injuries she had suffered. The one in red, while in better shape against her sole opponent, was fighting a losing battle against Weiss. It wouldn't take long for the heiress to finish the job. If these girls were special to Jaune in some way, Ruby did not want any more harm to come to them. Nor did she want to risk the off chance of her own friends being harmed.

"Everyone stop fighting!" she shouted, hoping to be heard over the din of combat.

"Miltia! Melanie! Back off!" Jaune yelled.

The order was simple enough to follow for Yang and Blake. The two girls merely hovered nearby the fallen white-clad girl, their weapons at the ready in case she did decide to continue fighting. Meanwhile Weiss merely took a couple steps back, her rapier being held in a defensive posture ready to either parry an incoming strike or go on the offensive once more.

Silence finally settled over the room. It did not last for long as Jaune rushed to the center to try and form some sort of barrier between the two groups of girls. "Everyone, please," he pleaded. His arms were stretched out wide to give his human barrier more emphasis. "No more fighting."

The girls who had been engaged in combat only moments ago grouped back up on their respective sides of the room. The two black-haired girls had definitely taken the brunt of the punishment. Their appearance as well as their heavy breathing showed as much.

Yang was the first of the combatants to speak after the newly brokered truce. "They started it," she said, pointing her finger at the girls.

"Fuck you, bitch!" the one in white screamed. "What the fuck are you doing here!"

Jaune turned to face her, reaching down to place his hands on both of her shoulders. "Melanie. Calm down." He turned back to look at Yang. "You too Yang. Please."

The girl whose name was apparently Melanie did not take kindly to the request. Her face twisted in rage as she looked up at Jaune. "You know this stupid cunt?"

Yang didn't take kindly to the insult, her fists clenching as she took a step forward. "You wanna say that again? See what happens."

Ruby realized that this could spiral out of control very quickly if something wasn't done. Their previous brawl could look like it was just a warm up if her team was able to have their weapons fully deployed and be prepared for a fight. There's no way that Melanie or the other girl would stand a chance if they were faced with four on two odds.

A chilling thought entered Ruby's mind as a shiver ran down her spine. These girls... they were Jaune's secret girlfriends. Or at least that's what she had once believed them to be. She honestly didn't know what to believe anymore. However the fact remained that she and her team had just beaten them up. She could imagine that Jaune would not appreciate this fact. Nor would he react well to she and her team breaking into the club which he apparently worked at. At least he wouldn't once all of this violent tension died down.

Doing her best to deescalate the situation, Ruby rushed over to Yang, standing in front of her much like Jaune was doing with Melanie to block a further confrontation. The fact that her sister had a good six inches on her did little to stop the back and forth verbal sparring. "Yang. Calm down. Whatever's going on isn't worth it."

"Yeah you're real brave when you have all your friends here to back you up," Melanie spat.

Yang laughed. It wasn't out of humor, however. "Please. I already soloed you and the other one once already," she said pointing at the girl in red. "Want it to happen again?"

It looked as if Melanie was going to make another attempt to rush Yang, but Jaune to his credit was able to hold her back. Barely. "Mel, stop!" he pleaded. "How do you two even know each other?"

"This is the fucking bitch who trashed the club," she explained. "This fucking White Fang cunt."

The words confused Ruby, and if her sister's reaction was anything to go by, she was too. Words which might have otherwise prompted another outburst of anger from Yang left her furrowing her brow as she looked over to the girl who threw the accusation. "What are you talking about?" Yang asked. "I'm not in the White Fang."

Jaune was equally as confused as he looked over to her and Ruby for some sort of explanation. All Ruby could do was shrug. "She's not in the White Fang," she told Melanie. "No one on my team is."

Melanie's anger seemed to shift as she glared at Ruby. "Oh and here's Ruby fucking Rose," she said disdainfully. "What are you doing here?"

Ruby felt Yang try to push forward once more. "Don't talk to my sister like that you stupid bitch."

Okay, things were getting serious again. Yang didn't normally swear. When she did, that meant she was close to her breaking point. The last thing they needed was her Semblance activating and an all out war breaking out in this nightclub. Again... if their first trip to this place was anything to go by.

Ruby also knew that her sister had a soft spot for her. A protective streak which bordered on over-protective at times. If anyone could stop Yang, it was her. "Yang, it's fine," she told her. "They're just words. No more fighting, okay?"

"Wow, she's your sister?" Melanie asked. "Should have figured. One stupid bitch related to another."

"Melanie!" Jaune yelled. "Come on. We're trying to sort through this without any more violence."

"How can you be so calm right now? You saw what she did. You fucking walked in on it right after it happened!"

Ruby wasn't sure what that meant, but it was obvious that Jaune was indeed close to these girls. If he was comfortable and confident enough to be holding Melanie back the same way she was doing with Yang, then there was a certain level of trust and familiarity there. It made the fact that Ruby and her team had broken into the place all the worse.

"Look, I'm still trying to process all of this," he explained. "But for right now we don't want another incident like this happening again. Junior just got this place up and running again."

A comment like that made Ruby feel guilt by proxy. She hadn't seen the inside of the club the night she found Yang walking out of that warzone. She hadn't even participated in the action at all. However the fact that she was Yang's sister, and that some of Melanie's anger was being directed at her, did make her feel ashamed of what Yang had done that night.

"Then tell them to get the fuck out!" Melanie screamed. "They're your fucking friends, right?"

"Mel, calm-"

"No! Stop telling me to calm down when the girl who almost ruined our fucking lives is standing here like nothing happened!"

Ruby winced as she looked up at Yang. The blonde did not seem apologetic about her previous actions. Or at the very least she was not about to offer any sort of apology.

She brought her face as close as she could get to her sister's ear and spoke in a low whisper. "Yang, what did you do to these people?"

"Does it matter?" Yang asked. "They're criminals. I'm sure they had it coming."

Yang had not been trying to be nearly as quiet as Ruby had, and it was obvious that her words were heard. However to Ruby's surprise rather than either of the twins speaking up against Yang, it was Jaune. "Hey, that's not fair," he protested. "You don't know either of them. Not like I do."

"They work for a known criminal," she argued. "If you wanna choose this life you have to live with the consequences."

"That doesn't make what you did right either."

Yang shrugged. "Well it's not like anyone died. They're still here and were ready for round two."

"That still doesn't make it okay."

"Well if they're so innocent then maybe they should choose another job."

"And what about me, Yang? I work here too. Would you kick my ass if I tried to stop you from doing any damage?"

The question sent chills down Ruby's body. No. She was not about to let Yang harm Jaune. His words were chillingly familiar. There was a certain dark tone to them in the way he had spoken to her before over her scroll.

Yang did not seem to have an answer to his question. In fact she looked visibly uncomfortable with it. Ruby supposed that was a good thing.

She stepped forward to put herself between her sister and Jaune. While she did not thing they were about to come to blows, she did not want to take any chances. "Guys," she said. "Let's not even think about stuff like that, okay? You know you're not actual enemies, right? You're friends!"

"True," Yang admitted. She pointed a finger in Jaune's direction. "But what I do know is that you're in some sort of trouble. That's why we came here tonight in the first place."

Jaune gave her a confused look. "What? Who said I was in trouble?"

Yang looked down to Ruby. The redhead suddenly felt very small being the focus of everyone's attention. Especially due to the fact that Jaune had just denied being in any sort of danger. "Your buddy Ruby did," she explained. "She seemed to think you were mixed up in something involving the White Fang or something."

"Well he's not in trouble," Melanie told her. "In fact we were all fine before your stupid ass decided to show up here again and start breaking more shit."

"Well how was I supposed to know? Excuse me for trying to be a good friend. Especially when my friend works at a shady place like this."

"Oh look, a dumb bitch in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong info. What a fucking shock."

"Hey, come on," Jaune said. "Let's all try to get along here, alright? We can talk about this like adults."

"Fuck you. Fuck all of you."

And just like that diplomacy had failed once again.

To Jaune's credit however, he continued to try and broker an uneasy peace. "Um, how about we all try to talk this over some drinks? I'll make them?"

"Don't you even think about wasting any of our alcohol on them."

"Well what do you want from me, Mel?"

"I want you to stop being such an asshole and tell them to get the fuck out!"

Maybe it would be best if they left. Ruby had thought that he was in some sort of danger, but apparently he wasn't. All she and the rest of her team was doing was causing him trouble. He didn't need this sort of drama in his life. None of them did.

Still, Melanie had brought up the White Fang. She in fact thought that Yang was a member for some bizarre reason. There was some odd connection that the terrorist group had to Jaune. To this place. To this whole situation. Ruby had to know about that before she left.

"Jaune," Ruby started. "What does the White Fang have to do with all of this?" she asked as her arms spread out, putting the whole club on display.

He might have been about to answer. Then she saw his eyes go wide.

* * *

A tense situation which as teetering on the brink of disaster needed but another wrong moment to send everything crashing down once more. Just one wrong word. One wrong act. At first Jaune thought that it would be either Melanie or Yang who would cause the powder keg to explode. As it turned out he could not have been more wrong.

The people who just stepped inside of Junior's club was like the equivalent of throwing an entire supply of dust crystals onto an already raging fire. Their timing would have been comical if the situation was not already so dire.

A group of masked men and women, perhaps a dozen in total, had just entered carrying a variety of weapons. Rifles, swords and axes made it obvious that they did not come in peace. Even if this fact had not been made abundantly clear already, the fact that they wore the black and white uniforms of the White Fang made it clear to the world who they were and what they were known for doing. As to why they were here, well, that was obvious to Jaune. It was likely true for the twins as well.

"Everyone get down on the ground!" one of the new arrivals, presumably the leader, shouted. "We're looking for Junior! Where is he?"

In reality, Jaune didn't know what he should be feeling right now. It certainly was not fear. He and the girls had gone and raided a White Fang meeting by themselves only a week ago. They had been able to dispatch a dozen of the amateur fighters with relative ease. Now in addition to the trio of teens, they had an entire team of aspiring huntresses from Beacon here to back them up.

He didn't know if he should be feeling angry at the terrorists, or sorry for them for what was about to happen.

The reaction's of the girls were all different. Ruby and Yang looked concerned more than anything, considering the question Ruby had just posed to him.

The twins looked at the terrorists with the same disdain and hatred which he himself felt for them. He knew their reasons differed from his own, but the fact that they had no love for the faunus extremists was evident on their faces.

Then there were the other two girls. Girls who Jaune did not know. They had not spoken once since their arrival. The white-haired girl's beautiful face had become twisted in anger, with a hateful glare of her own which could rival Melanie's on her worst day. The one with black hair looked worried. It was an understandable reaction for one who was facing down a group of terrorists, but as a skilled huntress she was more than capable of facing them. Especially with her team by her side.

Weapons trained on the group of teens as the faunus man who spoke took another step forward. "Do you kids have a death wish? I said get on the ground now! And hands where I can see them! Do what we tell you and no one gets hurt!"

The poor fool did not know he had just stepped into a room full of armed and trained warriors who were all in the mood for violence. He had no idea what kind of trouble he was in. None of them did. To them it seemed like they were heavily armed and holding a few teenagers at gunpoint. Little did they know it was them who were outgunned. That the hunters were actually the hunted. They were about to find out.

The same faunus looked expectantly at the gathered teens, probably wondering why no one had followed his orders. His focus seemed to linger on the white-haired girl for some reason. "You..." he said pointing at her. "You look familiar. What's your name?"

The girl on Ruby's team seemed to tense up at the question. A look of pure hatred was etched onto her face. Icy blue eyes seemed impossibly cold. Even more so than they already were.

The situation was tense. Somehow ever worse than it had been before. Things were about to explode once more. Jaune glanced over to Melanie. If he knew her, and at this point he had a pretty good feeling that he did, blood was about to be spilled. She was about to revel in the dominance she had over those who were weaker than her. People who weren't Ruby and her team.

It happened in a flash. Melanie rushed forward, Miltia at her side as they dashed towards the White Fang members. The synchronization of the two was uncanny, and to Jaune it seemed like there had been some sort of unspoken command that they had given each other to commence the attack. It took only a couple of seconds for them to reach their prey. The intruders barely even had time to react to the unexpected counterattack.

"Get them!" the apparent leader of the group shouted as he raised his rifle.

There was no more time to think. As gunshots rang out Jaune wasted no time in drawing his blade and extending his shield. He couldn't let his friends get hurt. Not the twins. Not Ruby. Not even Yang. Despite what she had apparently done before.

He set his sights on the closest foe and ran. Fingers gripped his sword and shield tightly, his knuckles going white in the process. Here was a man who was spraying bullets from his rifle with no regard for the consequences. This thug. This terrorist. This murderer. He was content to shoot up a nightclub and be on his way. Just as he would be content to choke the life out of a bookstore owner and leave his corpse to rot. A snarl escaped Jaune's lips as he charged.

The man turned his attention to the charging teen and had only enough time to get off a few shots before contact was made. Bullets deflected harmlessly off of Jaune's shield, and as soon as he had closed the gap swung Crocea Mors with all of his might. The faunus raised his rifle to block the strike, and it was a testament to the craftsmanship of the sword, as well as Jaune's own strength, that he was able to bend the gun's barrel with his attack. At least it would no longer be a ranged threat. However, Jaune wanted to make sure that this man would not be a threat of any kind to his friends. Or anyone else.

With little room for a backswing, Jaune instead chose to reverse his momentum by striking with his shield. Leading with the edge of the device, Jaune heard the satisfying impact of metal on flesh, and a horrible cry of agony slipped through the faunus' lips. Blood splashed out from a long and savage gash on the man's face, going all the way from his temple down to his jaw line. The mask he had been wearing shattered from the blow, and as he tumbled to the floor Jaune had a clear look at the damage he had inflicted. He would undoubtedly be scarred for life by the massive facial wound. It was nearly enough to make the boy's stomach turn. Only adrenaline and hatred kept him going.

Had this man's Aura been so low or weak that it only took a single hit to take him out? If so, Jaune wasn't about to complain about it. It made his life easier. It made all of their lives easier. As he looked around for his next target he saw that there wasn't much choice left.

Bloody and broken bodies law strewn on the floor. Some were unconscious, lying face down in puddles of red. Others still clung to consciousness as they moaned softly in pain. And yet others clutched their bodies, undoubtedly trying to ease the suffering of whatever broken bones or internal injuries they had suffered at the hands of their betters. It was a stupid move to challenge the gathered teenagers tonight. It bordered on suicidal. Then again fanatical terrorists were never known for their foresight or intelligence.

It was over almost as soon as it had begun. Jaune saw how Ruby spun Crescent Rose with practiced ease as she looked around for any other foes. There were none. Yang was looking for any more signs of trouble as well, brandishing a pair of gauntlets which apparently doubled as ranged weapons. He had never seen them deployed before, having been kicked out of Beacon prior to their initiation test. The two other girls used differing types of swords. It warmed his heart to see that others apparently had a love for the classics... unless those too housed some sort of hidden firearms inside of them.

Jaune went to wipe away the wetness which stained his face, presumably his former combatant's blood, with his sleeve. It was a shame that he would need to get this fancy suit of his professionally cleaned after tonight, but it had been worth it. He had defended his new home. He had stopped another terrorist attack, and after tonight a good number of them would be off the streets and never able to hurt anyone again.

A sound from the distance alerted him, and he like everyone else there spun to see its cause. Pushing through the doors which led to the building's staircase, Junior emerged with a look that like a cross between confusion and pure rage. "What the fuck is going on down here?"

The man's eyes surveyed the room, and it couldn't have taken him long to realize what had just happened. Bodies clad in White Fang insignia lay scattered throughout the club. A few bottles and pieces of furniture had been struck by stray bullets and would need to be cleaned up and thrown away. His club had just been through a war for the second time in recent memory. It could not have sat well with the man.

His attention shifted and focused on Yang. After what Jaune had just learned he could understand why. Junior's voice was cautious, his previous anger gone. "Blondie," he said slowly. "You're here... why?"

Jaune had not doubted Melanie's word before, but this merely confirmed it. Yang and Junior did indeed have a history. It obviously wasn't a good one.

Despite knowing who he was and where they were, Yang still looked a little bit shocked to see the man. She raised a finger accusingly at him. "Wait, you're Jaune's boss?"

Junior's attention shifted over to the boy in question. "Yeah... how do you know him?"

"We met at Beacon. How do _you_ know him? And why is he working at a shady place like this? You blackmailing him or something?"

"You're a huntress?" Junior asked, ignoring her questions entirely.

"Bullshit," Melanie interjected. "I'm telling you, she's in the White Fang. Chick comes in here, then a whole army of them show up right after. Fucking lie much?"

"I'm telling you I'm not in the White Fang!" Yang insisted. "None of us are. Do any of us look like a faunus to you?"

"Look like a fucking cow to me..." the raven-haired girl muttered.

"Excuse me?"

"Enough!" Junior shouted. "No fighting." He looked around at the bodies on the floor. "No more fighting," he amended. "If blondie here _was_ in the White Fang I think she would have helped out her comrades rather than fight against them."

"See? At least someone here has some damn brains."

"Bitch," Melanie said pettily.

"Girls," Jaune said as he stepped forward. "Come on. We can settle this like mature adults. Seriously. Yang isn't in the White Fang. And I'm not here against my will. Does that make everything better?"

He really hoped it did. There had already been enough fighting here tonight. He didn't want to see Melanie or Miltia get hurt once more. They had already tried their luck once and failed. Even with the addition of Junior here, he did not think that they could win against Ruby, Yang and the other two. Especially if Yang had already taken them on by herself and succeeded.

"I guess," the blonde girl admitted. "So this was all pointless in the end." She looked down at the injured bodies of the White Fang members. "Well, I guess we did stop a terrorist attack. So that's a plus."

"Like we couldn't have totally handled it without you," Melanie grumbled. "So if you're not in the White Fang, then why did you show up here the first time and trash the place?"

It was a question Jaune wanted to know the answer to as well. Melanie and Miltia were working on the theory that it was to weaken Junior's hold on the criminal underground. That the White Fang, with Roman Torchwick as their partner, were moving in on Junior's turf and trying to become the new dominant player in town.

However now that he knew that Yang was the supposed 'hitman' who had been sent after them, he knew that the hypothesis must have been wrong. Or at least the girls were very mistaken over Yang's identity and motives.

Yang frowned and looked over to Junior. "I was looking for someone," she said. "And I figured that Junior here might have some info I was looking for."

Melanie's eye twitched. She looked up at Junior with a hard glare. "You knew?"

The man frowned as well. "What?"

"You knew this bitch was just here looking for some info? And that she wasn't trying to fuck us up so that the White Fang could move in on our territory?"

"What are you..." Junior started before shaking his head. "You know, in my defense I had just been punched through a damn window. My club got trashed. My weapon got destroyed. And worst of all, you and your sister were injured. Remembering a few words from blondie over there was the absolute _last_ thing on my mind that night. In fact I had completely forgotten about them until just this moment."

"You mean we raided a fucking White Fang safe house for nothing!" Melanie screamed.

"You what!" Junior yelled back with equal fervor.

Jaune couldn't help but be mortified by the unfolding conversation. Not only did Junior have no idea what the three of them had been up to lately, but it had all been for nothing? Was this entire mess just one big misunderstanding which stemmed from Yang's wild night out?

Melanie ran a hand through her long hair. "We just started a fucking gang war for nothing," she whispered. Her voice was quick to pick up volume after that. "All because of your stupid ass!" she said with a finger leveled at Yang.

"Hey, don't blame me because you're stupid," Yang said.

Melanie looked beyond enraged now. She had a look on her face which screamed that she craved violence. She needed an outlet. A way to unload the burden of stress she was undoubtedly carrying now. For more reasons than one.

She looked down to one of the fallen White Fang members who was conscious. Placing a boot on his torso, she then turned her attention back to Yang. "So if you're not in the White Fang, you totally won't mind if I do this then."

The scream was ear-splitting as Melanie pressed her blade down on his stomach. A line of red soon colored his white clothing, and it was obvious that whatever Aura he might have possessed was gone.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" she asked as she eased the pressure on his body.

His breathing was ragged and hard. The pain from the new gash on his torso must have been agonizing. The only reason the girl wasn't keeping it up was because she wanted an answer from him.

"Payback," he spat out hurriedly. "For the meeting Junior hit."

"I didn't hit anything!" Junior shouted. He looked back and forth between Melanie and Miltia, and finally Jaune himself. "What the fuck have you three been doing behind my back!"

Jaune didn't have a chance to feel scared or regret over his actions. Or the consequences which might be brought down upon him by Junior. No, before he could even think of feeling anything, another scream pierced the air from the same man as before. Melanie drove her blade down deeper into his flesh.

"What's the White Fang doing in Vale then? What are your plans? Trying to move in on Junior's territory?"

She eased up again as the man panted heavily from the pain. He probably wouldn't be able to take much more of this before he passed out completely.

"I- I don't know!" he insisted. "We're just following orders! The- the docks!" he cried out, as if in sudden recollection. "Something about the docks tonight!"

"What about them!" she shouted as she applied more pressure.

He screamed once more. It was short-lived this time, however, as someone finally intervened in the impromptu interrogation session. One of Ruby's teammates, the black-haired one, shoved Melanie aside and away from the fallen faunus.

"Stop it!" she shouted. "That's enough!"

It was the first time Jaune had heard her speak tonight. Her voice was filled with anger. Her yellow eyes harbored hatred, and that hatred was focused on Melanie.

"Bitch, you'd better not do that again," Melanie threatened.

"You touch him again and I'll finish whatever Yang started."

The words seemed to give Melanie pause. She had already fought against the mystery girl once tonight. Things had not gone well for her.

Ruby's teammate bent down and began to apply pressure to his wound. At the same time she began to use pieces of his torn up shirt as some sort of makeshift bandage. "Hey," she said gently. "You're going to be alright. Okay?"

The man nodded quickly. He must have been nothing short of grateful to have a person intervene on his behalf.

"What the-" Melanie began, cutting herself off as her mind must have been struggling to process what she was seeing. "What are you doing? He's a terrorist!"

"He's a person!" the other girl insisted.

"Bullshit! If he had it his way we'd all be dead right now."

"That's not true. They came here looking for Junior, apparently because of what _you_ did. They didn't start this. You did."

"Don't even try and paint the White Fang as the innocent ones here, Blake," the white-haired girl said. She stepped forward closer to the girl, whose name was apparently Blake. "As if they need a reason to target civilians. They probably would have spun it as some sort of political statement."

"Well they wouldn't be here right now if these people didn't go and attack them."

"Are you kidding? These people attacked a White Fang hideout, and _they're_ the bad guys? Hello, Blake! The White Fang are terrorists!"

"That may be true, Weiss, but they don't deserve what this girl was just doing!"

Weiss. The white-haired girl was named Weiss. At least he had all of their names now. That would make life much easier.

"They're terrorists!" Weiss insisted. "Murderers! And they deserve no less than what they dish out themselves. I'm surprised you haven't read about it with all the reading you do, but the White Fang kidnap and execute people!"

"And that makes it okay to treat them like this? To literally torture them?"

"Like they haven't done worse! Do you have any idea what they've done to people?"

"Do you have any idea what people have done to them?"

Weiss folded her arms. "If they want to live by the sword then they had better be prepared to die by the sword as well."

Blake stood back up, her attention now focused squarely on Weiss. "How can you be so barbaric? I thought you were different from the rest of the Schnees. I thought you were better."

" _I'm_ barbaric?" she asked incredulously. "Did you not just see these animals come in here ready to shoot up a nightclub full of what they thought were teenage civilians?"

"They wouldn't have done that!" Blake insisted.

"How do you know? Is your Semblance foresight? Can you predict the future?"

"I- I just do!"

Jaune had heard enough. "No," he disagreed. Both girls turned to look at the source of the new voice. "They would have."

"You don't know that."

"I do know that!" he yelled. He had witnessed firsthand the savagery of the White Fang. He knew what he was talking about. "They already murdered someone I knew. His name was Tukson. He owned a bookstore here in Vale."

Silence settled over the room for a few seconds. Blake's face looked conflicted. Angry. Worried. Uncertain. Weiss on the other hand looked vindicated. Like she had been proven correct with his own anecdote. It hadn't been his intention to take one side over the other. He was just stating the facts.

"I've seen what the White Fang has done," he continued. "And they're monsters. They _are_ murderers. Just try to buy a book from Tukson's Book Trade. That's all the proof you need."

"Stop calling them monsters!" Blake shouted. "Stop calling them animals! Did you ever stop and think that maybe it's because people say these kinds of things that they felt the need to go to such extreme measures?"

Weiss' hands moved to her hips. "Why are you in such a rush to defend these lowlifes? Are you being contrary just for the sake of it? This isn't one of Dr. Oobleck's class discussions."

"If Dr. Oobleck was here maybe he would be able to tell you that the White Fang was formed in order to fight for equality!" Blake pointed over to Melanie, and then over to Weiss herself. "It's her kind of behavior, and your kind of mindset which fostered such extremism to begin with! People don't just become violent for no reason! They're driven to it!"

"People are driven to murder innocents? That sounds more like a psychopath than an equal rights activist. It sounds more like a serial killer."

"I never killed anyone!"

Blake visibly flinched after the words as if she had just been struck. It was obvious that she had not intended to blurt out what she had just said. It was too late now.

Weiss' eyes had gone wide, and if Jaune was correct, one of the hands on her hips shifted down slightly near the handle of her weapon. "What?" she whispered harshly.

The other girl shook her head. "I..."

She never finished her thought before she ran. Before anyone could say anything she darted through the doors she and the rest of her team had entered through. In her wake was a group of friends and foes who were all struggling to comprehend what had just taken place.

It wasn't surprising to Jaune that the girl's verbal sparring partner was the first to speak up. "What was that?" she asked nobody in particular. "What just happened?"

"I don't know," Ruby admitted. "But we have to go after her."

"No, seriously," Weiss continued. "Did she... did she just all but tell us she's in the White Fang?"

Jaune glanced over to Melanie, wondering how she would feel about the revelation if it was true. The girl's face hadn't changed from before. It was still filled with the same anger and disdain that she possessed for Yang.

Yang was the next to speak. "I don't know, but we need to go after her and find out."

"We don't even know where she's going," Ruby said.

"It doesn't matter! We have to try. She's our teammate. She's our friend."

Jaune looked around, not quite knowing what to do now that the conversation had shifted entirely. It wasn't his business anymore. Or anyone's who worked at Junior's club.

Finally his eyes focused on the injured man who lay near where Melanie stood. He recalled the man's words, and a realization dawned upon him. "The docks," he said simply.

Ruby and her teammates turned to look at him. The redhead was the one who spoke. "Huh?"

"The docks," Jaune repeated. "This guy here said the White Fang were doing something at the docks."

"Yeah, so?"

"So, if your friend is a part of the White Fang, it makes sense that she might go there, right? Where she has friends she can hide out with?"

Maybe it was his choice of words which earned the reactions that they did from the girls. Ruby looked visibly uncomfortable. Weiss looked upset. Yang though... Yang just looked angry.

"We don't know that she's in the White Fang," Yang protested. "We shouldn't jump to conclusions."

"It sure sounded like it to me," Weiss argued. "Who would bend over backwards like that to defend a _terrorist_ organization that they aren't a part of?"

Yang threw her hands up in the air. "I don't know! That's why we need to find out."

"And what better way to find out than by heading to the docks?" Jaune insisted. "If she's there then we'll know."

There was an ulterior motivation as well. If the White Fang really were planning something at the docks, he wanted to stop it. He did not want any more innocent lives to be snuffed out by those monsters. He didn't want more casualties like Tukson.

Ruby nodded. "He has a point."

"I guess..." Yang conceded.

"Very well," Weiss agreed. "I won't be able to sleep tonight until I find out for sure whether or not one of my roommates is a member of that despicable organization."

Jaune nodded this time. "Alright. Let's go."

Before he could make it a few steps he felt a hand on his shoulder. He spun around to see Miltia standing there. Melanie was walking over to stand next to her.

"What are you doing, Jaune?" the younger twin asked.

The soft-spoken girl had been quiet throughout all of the preceding drama. It didn't surprise him that Melanie had taken the reins during the arguing. However Miltia had been right there next to her in the thick of the action when it had all begun. To someone like Miltia actions spoke louder than words.

He looked to the girl and her sister. Then over to Ruby and the others. He called out to the latter group. "Hey, could you give me a minute?"

Ruby seemed to fidget uncomfortably. "Uh, sure. Just one minute though. Blake already has a head start on us."

He flashed a weak smile. "Thanks. It won't take long."

Ruby, Yang and Weiss exited the building. It was a relieving feeling. It was as if a great portion of the tension had left the room along with them. However some still remained. He could sense it in the air as the Malachite twins stood next to him.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Melanie asked him.

"What?"

"You're going with _them_?" she asked disdainfully. "After what they fucking did?"

He shook his head. "This isn't about going with them. Didn't you hear what that guy said? The White Fang is planning something at the docks tonight."

"I don't care!" she shouted. "Were _you_ paying attention during all that? All of this shit with the White Fang was just like, one big misunderstanding."

Jaune knew that prior to this night, all of the actions the twins took against the White Fang were for personal reasons. Mostly revenge. Revenge over something which had never been true to begin with. They didn't care about Tukson. They didn't care about justice. Their goals just so happened to coincide.

Besides, even if it was a misunderstanding, their actions had only escalated things beyond repair. The twins had wanted a war. They had gotten one. Things would likely only get worse in the future.

"Misunderstanding or not, they're still out there. And they're going to hurt more people."

"It's not our fight, Jaune," Miltia said softly. "This isn't our fight. And whatever's going on with their friend is none of our business."

"I still have to try and do something about it. You've seen what the White Fang does to people."

Melanie looked beyond frustrated now. "Wake up, Jaune! You're not a real huntsman! You got kicked out of Beacon before you even started!"

He knew she hadn't intended for her words to cut as deep as they had. They still did so nonetheless. She was right. He wasn't a huntsman. This wasn't his fight. At least not in any official capacity. Not in any legal one either. However he knew that he didn't have to be a huntsman in order to still be a hero.

"Yeah, you're right," he admitted. "I may not be a real huntsman. But I don't have to be in order to do the right thing."

"The right thing would be staying here tonight. With your friends."

He ran a hand through his hair. Why did this have to be so difficult? Why did he have to be stuck in the middle of this? It wasn't fair. Nothing about this situation was.

He knew what he had to do though. Or at least he knew what felt right. The twins were staying here. There would be no danger amongst the defeated White Fang members. The authorities would be called, and they would be taken away. After all, Melanie, Miltia and Junior were innocent victims in all of this. They had simply defended their home. They had committed no crimes. At least not on this evening.

"I know. I get that. I really do. But Ruby is my friend too. I have to help her."

"That's bullshit, Jaune! You met us first! You're supposed to be on our side!"

"You two and Ruby are both my friends. I can't take sides. Please try to understand where I'm coming from."

"Fuck Ruby!" Melanie snarled.

He reached out to place a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, she didn't do anything wrong," he said gently. "She's not guilty of her sister's crimes."

Melanie slapped the offending hand away once it made contact. "Whatever. Just fucking go then. Go be a stupid little huntsman. I hope you don't die out there living your stupid little dream, 'cause we're not coming with you. We're not fighting alongside that blonde piece of shit."

Jaune sighed. "I know. I'm not asking you to. I'll go out there alone if I have to."

In a reversal of what had just happened, it was Miltia who reached out to place a hand on his own arm. "Jaune, please. You don't have to do any of this."

There was a pleading look in her eyes. One which told him that she did not want him to go, but that if he did that she would not be coming with. He understood why. After everything that had been revealed tonight, he would understand if these two never wanted to see him again.

However he couldn't choose sides. He hated what Yang had done to these girls, but like he had just said, Ruby was not guilty of those crimes. She was still his friend, just as Melanie and Miltia were. If she was putting herself in danger against the White Fang, Jaune wanted to have her back. Just as he had the night they met.

"No," he agreed. "I don't. But I want to. I can't just sit back and do nothing if people out there might get hurt. Not if I can do something, anything, to stop it."

He was out of time. There was no convincing them that this had to be done. The White Fang were out there. They were planning something. Ruby was going after them. He would be by her side.

It was more than just hatred now. It was more than vengeance. It was about doing the right thing.

As he walked out of the club, he hoped that the twins would come to realize that.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** I have to say, writing scenes where there's a large number of people is a little difficult for me. So I tried to focus on only two or three at a time. Hopefully it turned out alright.

I also hope that I got the point across that Jaune is in fact upset with Yang for what she did. He's not going with her and abandoning the twins because he's fine with everything that happened. It's his hero complex. It's his hatred for the White Fang. And it's his friendship with Ruby. I plan to have more with Jaune and Yang next chapter now that there will be a smaller group of people in the conversation.

As always, thank you for your continued support. I'm glad so many people enjoy this story, and enjoy my take on the Malachite twins. It means a lot to me to know that people are connecting with characters who aren't exactly popular or well-defined within the fandom.

Questions, comments or concerns? Feel free to let me know. Especially if there's any areas you think I should improve on.

Thanks for reading.


	16. Chapter 16

Adrenaline was beginning to fade away. In its place came familiar feelings. Feelings born from familiar sights. Familiar sounds. Pain she had not felt in quite some time. She felt her body tremble slightly from it all. She wanted that adrenaline back. That wonderful chemical that would make her fearless again. Luckily for both of them there was an alternative for that.

Miltia knew that Melanie was feeling similar to how she was. The ones responsible for that feeling were gone though. That little blonde shit and her friends were gone. They had taken her own blonde with them. The realization of that stung. He had chosen them over herself and her sister. Why? Why couldn't he have just stayed? Why did he have to go off and fight?

Looking around the club, Miltia was happy to see the damage wasn't too bad. A little bit of minor cleaning was required, but they wouldn't be out of business for weeks like they had been before. Things could have gotten much worse, but Jaune had been there to create some semblance of peace between them and his Beacon friends. Imagining the alternative, another episode of Yang thrashing both her and Melanie, tearing the club apart, was frightening. Miltia felt a shiver run down her body at the thought of another night like that.

It had been much like it had been that night. Despite their best efforts, Miltia and Melanie had been all but helpless. Sure, she had gotten a solid hit in on Ruby, but that was quickly forgotten when the white-haired girl stepped in to defend her with enough fervor to make Miltia think that the two were somehow related.

In the end they had been helpless to stop the Beacon students. Helpless like they had been the night Yang first walked in and kicked all of their asses. Helpless like they had been back at Mountain Glenn.

Anger swelled up inside of her. Anger. Hatred. Fear. This was why they had learned to fight. This was why they lived a selfish and greedy lifestyle. So that they would never be helpless again. So that they would never want for anything again. Their perfect little world of safety and control had been shattered... again. By the same stupid bitch and her friends. It made Miltia feel small. Like despite how strong she got, no matter how much she had, there would always be someone out there stronger than her who could take it all away.

Like they had taken Jaune away from them.

Melanie was already over at the bar, and she had apparently grabbed the first bottle within arm's reach and placed it on the counter. It was a good idea. Like Melanie had once told Jaune, drinking could make all the pain go away for the night. As well as every other night if it's what they needed. For her older sister, that statement turned out to be more true for her than Miltia herself. Those words of wisdom had come from experience.

Seeing that her sister had grabbed a pair of glasses, Miltia moved over to join her sister in what would undoubtedly be another silent drinking session. However before anything could be poured, a familiar but unexpected voice spoke up in protest.

"No," Junior said as he moved and grabbed the bottle from Melanie's hands. His voice was unusually stern, with barely hidden anger behind it. "Not tonight. Not after what you two did."

Surprisingly Melanie did not speak up in argument. She simply sat on her stool, staring down at the countertop.

Miltia could guess at Junior's motives. To him, seeing Melanie drink was to see her having a good time. She liked her liquor. It was all fun and games to her, at least on the outside. Drinking was like a reward to Melanie. Depriving her of it tonight would seem like a suitable punishment now that the truth about their activities had come out. To him it probably seemed like it was a decent attempt at parenting.

On a normal night he probably would have been correct. However Miltia knew otherwise. She didn't need her Semblance to know how her sister was feeling. Lost. Afraid. Hopeless. Feelings that could not be cured, but could at least be numbed by alcohol.

Knowing that Melanie's lack of a response spoke volumes, it was Miltia who decided to speak up. "Hei," she pleaded softly. "Please."

The man looked over to her, and for long seconds the two locked eyes. Miltia motioned her head over to where Melanie sat. She still stared down at the counter. Her fingernails danced atop the wood in nervous activity. Those fingers would be sated only by being wrapped around a small glass filled with expensive booze. Miltia knew it. Deep down Junior knew it as well.

In the end the man relented, and he poured the girl a drink himself. Melanie said nothing, but grabbed it as soon as he was finished, and downed it in one angry motion. The glass slammed back down on the counter, and Junior was quick to pour the girl a refill. It may have taken a little reminding, but he understood that she needed her fix. Like he had once said, bartending was the only form of therapy he knew. Tonight it would just have to do.

Once Melanie stopped pouring back her own drinks and decided to nurse the one in front of her, Junior moved to pour Miltia one as well. She drank her first almost as quickly as Melanie had, and was happy to see the man give her a refill as well. "Thanks," she said.

The thank you was for more than being serviced herself. It was for his understanding. For his compassion. He knew them both almost as well as they knew themselves. He had raised them since rescuing them from Mountain Glenn. He knew their pasts. Their weaknesses. Their traumas. Tonight was much like ripping a bandage off of a wound that had not yet healed and watching as blood oozed out from it.

He grunted an acknowledgement to the girl. She could tell he was still unhappy with the recent turn of events. However he was not about to punish them at a time like this. Not when they felt so weak and vulnerable. In their own little twisted familial way, they were his girls. He was the closest thing they had to a father. It just worked. He would protect them just as if they were his own flesh and blood.

The trio sat in silence for a while as they drank. As they did so, Miltia saw how the hired help began to clean the place up. Men in black suits and red sunglasses dragged still unconscious bodies through the rear door. Others who were awake put up a little bit of a struggle as they kicked and thrashed at their treatment, but they were quickly beaten into submissions by Junior's grunts.

She didn't know what would become of the White Fang members who had so brazenly attacked them tonight in their attempt at revenge. They wouldn't be killed, that she knew. Junior didn't like that sort of messiness. Dead bodies brought up unwanted questions. The terrorists would probably be stuffed in a van and all but gift-wrapped on the front steps of the Vale police department. If not that, they'd probably be taken somewhere and beaten within an inch of their lives with a warning not to come at Junior again. For an average citizen-turned-terrorist, such a harrowing experience would probably scare the thought of terrorism out of their minds forever. In any case, she and Melanie wouldn't have to get their hands dirty. That was a plus.

She didn't know how long they had been sitting there before someone spoke once again. By this time the bodies had been cleared, and it was apparent that Jaune and the Beacon girls weren't coming back. It was Junior who once more broke the silence.

"Do you understand why I'm angry?" he asked to no one in particular.

Melanie shrugged. Miltia didn't even feel like responding at all. Their silence was enough to prompt Junior to continue.

"We suspected that Torchwick and the White Fang were up to something," he continued. "But we had no proof. We can't go around making people into enemies without proof, understand?"

"We knew there was like, a new player in town," Melanie said softly. It was a rarity for the girl to not speak with her usual confidence and energy. "And there is. The White Fang are here."

"They are," Junior agreed. "But we still don't know what their intentions are. We found out tonight that blondie over there was just some huntress. That changes everything."

"Bullshit," Melanie argued. That time there was a little fire in her voice. Maybe her liquid courage was starting to kick in. "Even if the White Fang weren't gunning for us, the other gangs were totally losing respect for us. Shit would have gone down eventually."

Miltia could agree with that. Minor gangs and crime families across Vale had started to waver in their loyalty to the top dog. The twins had gone out fighting against them on more than one occasion to try and restore order, but compliance through fear and violence would only last so long. As soon as they sensed weakness, as soon as they saw the White Fang as the rightful heir to the Valean underground, they would stab Junior in the back. They would fight over his carcass like carrion.

Junior shrugged. "Maybe. But now there's no wondering about it one way or another. There's a war coming. Tonight was only the beginning."

"So what? They're all in like, Menagerie or whatever."

"Obviously not if they're here making a play on Vale."

"So we'll fucking deal with them like we did tonight," Melanie snarled. "I'm not fucking scared of those crazy pricks."

She spoke bravely, but Miltia knew better. She herself was scared, and deep down she knew Melanie was as well. It had been Melanie's initial reaction to hearing that the White Fang were in Vale back when they interrogated Tukson. It was the right reaction too. Any sane person would be scared about having to face off against a group of fanatics. Just because they had gotten a couple of victories over their pathetic cannon fodder did not mean that they were victorious over the organization.

"Do you two have any idea how large and influential the White Fang is?" he asked them. He didn't wait for an answer before continuing. "We may only have the attention of a single cell, but they're a worldwide organization. If they think we're too much trouble, they will come at us. You two may be a lot stronger than their grunts, but they have numbers. Numbers and fanaticism. And you should not underestimate what a fanatic will do for their cause."

Junior's words were chilling. The scale and severity of the problem he was laying out was most certainly a cause for concern. The White Fang dwarfed their own operation. She felt small as a result. Her abilities were small. Her power was small. It made her feel helpless all over again.

She took another drink at the thought.

"So what should we do?" Melanie asked. "Can we like, make peace or something?"

"With a fanatical terrorist group who hate humans?" He laughed. It was devoid of humor. "Good luck with that."

Miltia didn't like how pessimistic the man sounded. If he was trying to make them feel better about the scale of the situation they were in, it wasn't working. Then again maybe he wasn't trying. Junior had always been a realist. He didn't sugar coat things. He didn't treat them like children, even when they had been. It was one of the reasons they loved him. He was honest with them in a world that wasn't always truthful. For much of the world, huntsmen and huntresses were heroes. To someone who had been on the inside of the system, he knew that they were little better than guns for hire. People who would help out the kingdoms when needed, but who would sell their services when they weren't.

Junior frowned and shook his head slightly. "I don't know." A small laugh slipped through his lips a moment later. "Maybe the kid has the right idea. Search and destroy. Take 'em out before they even become a problem. Just like a real huntsman would do."

Him bringing up Jaune stung. He should be right here next to them planning out their next move. Instead he was out with Ruby looking for more trouble to get into. The betrayal hurt. He should have been on their side. However the boy was still a little huntsman right down to his core. He wanted to help. He wanted to stop the terrorists before they could act. Miltia felt that she shouldn't be surprised by the actions he took tonight.

"Fuck him," Melanie spat angrily.

Miltia understood her twin's sentiment, but the wording was a little on the harsh side. She was disappointed with his choice. Even a little bit angry. However she wasn't about to write him off because of one bad decision. He was a free person after all. And it wasn't as if she was unaware of his hero complex and desire to be a huntsman. What he did in his own time was his own business.

Even if it did involve mingling with a certain blonde bitch and her sister.

"Look," Junior said evenly. "We're going to get through this. I don't know how yet, but I won't let these guys bring us down. I'll do my best to try and smooth things over with them, but if it comes down to a fight we're not going to lose."

She nodded. Even if she didn't quite believe things would be cleared up just like that, Miltia trusted Junior. There was a certain feeling where she knew that everything would turn out all right as long as he was involved. He knew more than she and her sister did. He was more capable. He had more experience and connections. Knowing that he was there made her feel at ease.

The man moved out from behind the counter and towards the main entrance. "I'm going to go try and fix whatever blondie did to get in here, and put a sign up that says we're closed for the night. With this mess in here we won't be fit for the public, and I think you two could use the time off anyway."

A small wave of relief surged through Miltia. He was right. She didn't feel like working tonight. She didn't feel like drinking or partying or anything beyond curling up in bed clad in her night clothes. She only hoped that she would see a familiar face come tomorrow morning. A part of her was considering staying up until he came home.

Miltia shook her head. Home. This wasn't his home. Not really. He simply had nowhere else to go.

On the other hand, this _was_ her home. She was a criminal. A thug. Even if she didn't view those things in a negative light, she had seen how Jaune had looked at her. Or rather how he hadn't looked at her. There were times recently where their eyes would meet and his would dart away. Like he was scared to look at her. Scared _of_ her. All because he knew who and what she was. He knew what she was capable of. What she had done.

"I'm surprised."

Miltia was shaken from her thoughts by the sound of her sister's voice. She turned to look at Melanie, whose hand was propping her face up on the counter. "Huh?" she asked.

"You're not going with him," Melanie explained. "I thought you'd want to make sure your poor little baby bird wouldn't get a boo boo."

Miltia rolled her eyes. She hated how Melanie made it seem like she was his babysitter. Her sister wasn't entirely wrong though. Miltia did want to protect Jaune from this life. To preserve his innocence so that he wouldn't become like them. Lately he had been getting a little too into fighting against the White Fang. Like he actually enjoyed the violence. A fact which Melanie herself seemed to be getting more and more into the idea of.

Seeing Jaune's work against the terrorist he had faced off against tonight was chilling. The man's face had been split open from top to bottom courtesy of Jaune's shield. Yet it seemed like the blonde boy felt nothing. Like there was no regret behind his actions. It was scary. Perhaps it had been necessary, but still scary nonetheless.

"I'm sure he'll be fine," Miltia argued. "He's with _Ruby_ after all," she added bitterly.

Melanie took another sip of her drink before smirking deviously. "Someone's jealous."

A narrow-eyed glare did nothing to remove the stupid smile from the girl's lips. "Shut up."

Her sister cackled annoyingly. "Totally jelly~" she sang.

"I liked you better when you were pissed off."

Melanie grabbed hold of Miltia and pulled her close. The suddenness of it almost caused the younger girl to lose her balance and fall from her stool. "Aw don't be like that," she cooed.

Miltia struggled until she was able to push away from her sister. "Get off of me! I so don't believe even you could get drunk this fast."

Melanie's laughter only continued as she allowed herself to be separated from the other girl. "Nah. Not even buzzed yet," she bragged.

"Well fucking good for you."

"Oh for fuck's sake, don't get bitchy with me because Jaune's hanging out with other girls."

"Says the girl who just said 'fuck him'."

"Yeah, fuck him," Melanie agreed. "But him being an asshole won't get in the way of us having fun. After the shit we went through tonight? We need to fucking get wasted and forget all that. We'll deal with his ass tomorrow."

The words gave Miltia pause. Deal with him. She wondered what her sister meant by that. Surely Melanie wasn't planning to kick him out of their lives, was she? Or at least kick him out of her own life. She doubted that Junior would allow the girl to make a decision for all three of them. Knowing Melanie, she'd probably just give Jaune a severe ass-kicking after she had sufficient time to recover from her hangover. Then maybe if he begged for her forgiveness, and allowed himself to be subjected to all sorts of torture and humiliation during a night of drinking, her sister would find a place in her heart to forgive him.

Before she could learn of her sister's intentions, however, Junior reentered the picture. "No," he said. "Not tomorrow."

Miltia turned and looked up at the man. "Huh?"

"Change of plans. You two," he said pointing to them both. "You're going out there to the docks and bringing him back. Tonight."

She began to open her mouth to protest, but Melanie beat her to it. "Fuck that," she said harshly. "And I'll say it again. Fuck him."

"What you wanna do with him in your free time is up to you," Junior quipped. Again, there was no humor where there might normally be some. "But for right now you two are going out and finding him before he can cause even more of a shit storm with the White Fang than you three already have."

"But-"

"Now, Melanie."

They'd had some time to relax. To unwind. To let the alcohol flow through their bodies and calm them down after what they'd gone through. Junior had been quite understanding of their feelings. However, that did not change the fact that they were still in a very dire situation right now. One which did need to be addressed sooner rather than later. In lieu of actually working tonight, they had another job which needed to be done.

A few tense seconds passed as Melanie's hard emerald eyes stared up into Junior's dark ones. Finally, and expectedly, the girl relented.

"Fine," she whispered harshly. "Whatever."

It was a rare thing when Junior brought out his more stern side. An almost fatherly side. Most of the time he spoiled the two girls who most people would think were his own daughters. However, sometimes parenting wasn't about being nice. A father was not his children's best friend. That meant making decisions about what was for the best. For what was right. Not what was easiest.

Miltia complied without a word of protest. Deep down she did feel like this was the right thing to be doing. Not for the sake of relations with the White Fang, but for Jaune. She was one of the reasons he was involved in this mess. She was the one who had told herself that she would look out for him in this cruel and dangerous world.

If he went out there and got himself hurt or killed because she wasn't there for him, she would never be able to forgive herself.

* * *

Ruby was called a lot of things by the people who knew her best. When it came to her nature and demeanor, she was often called innocent. Pure. Maybe even a little naive. However there was no mistaking the atmosphere that surrounded her and the others since leaving Jaune's club. The situation was tense. There was no getting around that.

It was for more reasons than why she had initially set out on this evening. Before it had been a fact finding mission. Maybe even a rescue mission. Now though... those concerns had all vanished. Unfortunately they had been replaced by entirely new ones.

Fear and worry gnawed at her stomach. Jaune was okay, and she was glad for that. However learning that fact had brought with it more baggage than she had anticipated. Jaune worked for a club that Yang had just happened to trash shortly before attending Beacon. Back then she hadn't thought much of it. Yang had said it was a long story, but didn't elaborate on it much beyond saying that it was some criminal hideout and that she had beaten up a bunch of baddies. Ruby was fine with that. She had done so herself only a few days later. Jaune had even been there to help. It had been cool. They had helped. Now though...

Now she knew that Jaune's... secret girlfriends had been the victims. Now she knew that Yang had wrecked the place he had come to work at. Did that make those girls criminals? Did that make Jaune a criminal? Or was Yang perhaps mistaken the whole time? If the latter was true, then what did that make her sister? Was Yang the real criminal here?

And then worst of all, to top it all off, there was Blake. Her dark-haired teammate had fled after presumably outing herself as a White Fang terrorist. Weiss believed it to be true at least. As the girl had said herself, why would Blake be so adamant about defending a known extremist group? Why would she take offense to comparing the White Fang to a serial killer? Why would she flee in panic after blurting out such a denial?

It didn't make sense. Blake wasn't a faunus... was she? Sure, the girl liked her tuna, but lots of people did! Lots of normal, well-adjusted, non-terrorist people. Lots of people wore bows on their head too. Sure, it might be there to cover up some faunus trait on her head, but her simply liking bows was a far more likely explanation. Then again, the girl never seemed to remove the fashion accessory. Ruby couldn't recall a time she hadn't seen her teammate wearing it.

It was just another reason they were out here right now. They had to find the truth. They had to find Blake. They had to get their team back on the same page before everything fell apart. Ruby was not about to abandon her friend in a time of need. She was not about to have her team fall apart before it even completed a single semester at Beacon.

Still. The tension in the air was palpable, and it had been that way for much of the walk so far. Jaune was silent, probably upset with Yang. Weiss was silent, probably upset with Blake. Yang was silent, probably upset because of both the argument at the club and her partner running away. And Ruby was silent and upset because of all of the above. What a wonderful friendly outing this was turning out to be.

The scenery had changed, and Ruby was happy that the bad part of town was right next to the industrial district. Probably because no one with lien would want to live next to factories and offshore warehouses. With the sun beginning to dip below the horizon, it only further emphasized the need to find Blake sooner rather than later. The thought of going home tonight without the girl caused a shiver to run down her spine.

As the smell of the sea began to travel with the wind, Ruby cupped her hands around her mouth. "Blake!" she shouted out to no one in particular. She only hoped that the girl in question would be around to hear it. "Blake! Where are you!"

She hadn't expected any sort of answer. However if Blake knew her friends were out searching for her, she might just reveal herself. She might want to try and talk things through.

Disheartened, but not surprised that her teammate hadn't come running over to greet them, Ruby repeated the same actions from a moment before. "Blake!" she called again. "Blake!"

"Will you stop that already?" Weiss snapped.

Ruby shot her partner a look that sat somewhere in the middle of hurt and annoyed. She still didn't know why the heiress harbored such disdain for the White Fang, but for whatever reason Weiss' temper seemed to be shorter than usual.

"Well we have to do something!" Ruby argued.

"Walking down the street yelling like a crazy person will do us no favors."

The redhead's arms folded across her chest as they walked. "And what would you suggest we do then?"

"We find the smoking gun," Weiss explained. "If there is a White Fang operation taking place on one of the docks tonight, all we have to do is find it. Furthermore, if Blake is a member of the group and has fled back to her compatriots, she will most likely take refuge with them at the docks. The last thing we want to do is alert them to our presence."

Weiss' explanation made sense to Ruby. It was logical and well thought out. It still just seemed wrong though. She felt as if they should do more than just wander around in silence looking. If she had time she would have made flyers with a sketch of Blake's face on them and handed them out to every person she passed. She would have even offered a reward for the girl's safe return.

She winced slightly at the thought. If Blake did turn out to be a faunus, she probably would not take kindly to being treated as a lost pet. Did that make her racist? Why did this have to be so complicated?

"She's right," Jaune said, speaking up for the first time since their journey had begun. "These scumbags have all kinds of weapons up their sleeves, so having the element of surprise is important."

Ruby couldn't argue with that. The mixture of small arms and crude blades that the White Fang members had been armed with would be deadly to most people. However they were not most people. They were Beacon's finest... and Jaune. Though she had admittedly not seen much of him in action tonight, she did know that he was capable of holding his own against the terrorists.

He was right. Weiss was right. They had no idea what or how many people would be at this hypothetical White Fang operation. Having the element of surprise would be a key advantage if a fight broke out.

A glance over to the white-haired girl revealed a small but satisfied smile on her face. The fact that Jaune had agreed with her must have been music to the girl's ears. It wasn't often that any member of the team agreed with Weiss on much of anything.

"Perhaps you were right about your friend," Weiss said as she looked over to meet Ruby's gaze. "Anybody who can see the White Fang for the scumbags that they are is welcome by our side. I suppose he's smarter than he looks."

Leave it to Weiss to follow up and negate her praise with a needless jab. If the implied insult had offended Jaune, he showed no signs of it. Instead he seemed intent to stay on topic.

"So do you think your friend really is in the White Fang?" he asked.

Ruby could only shrug at the question. She really didn't know, and she wasn't about to make any assumptions. "I hope not," she admitted. "But we're going to find out tonight. I'm not going back to Beacon until we find her."

"I refuse to believe it," Yang added. "Not until I hear it from her mouth."

"After what she did?" Weiss questioned. "What she said?"

"We don't know what she did or said. Not exactly."

"I don't believe there's much room for interpretation with her reactions tonight."

"Yeah, well, so what?" Yang argued. "Even if she is in the White Fang, she's still our friend. She's my partner. And I know there's more to her than what people might think she is."

"Easy to say about your partner. Too bad you couldn't think that way earlier," Jaune said.

Weiss and Yang both went silent as they joined Ruby in looking over at the boy. He didn't look back, but instead had his eyes focused ahead of him.

His lack of attention did not stop Yang from replying, however. "What's that supposed to mean?"

He still didn't bother to look at the other blonde as they continued on their journey at the docks. "Why'd you do it, Yang? Why did you do what you did to Mel and Mil?"

"Who?"

He shook his head. "Melanie and Miltia. The girls you beat up."

"You were there, they started-"

"I don't mean tonight," he interrupted. "The first time."

A heavy silence hung over the group of teens as they walked. That uncomfortable silence had returned. The tension came with it. Only now the cause of it was right there among them instead of a lost girl they were searching for. Normally Ruby liked to attack problems head-on, but here she didn't quite know how to deal with it.

Luckily her sister was more socially adept than she was, and decided to take on the issue. "They were a threat," she admitted. "I had to take them out."

"Why though? Why did you start the fight in the first place?"

More silence. Yang looked away from him and down to the pavement. In the end she wound up shrugging. "I don't know."

"You don't know?" he questioned. There was a hint of anger in his voice. "You don't know why you left a couple of girls bleeding and lying in a pile of rubble and glass? You don't know why you ruined their business? Their home?"

"They're criminals," Yang protested.

"So are you!"

The words struck Ruby hard, despite her not even being their target. They apparently hit Yang hard as well, if her wide-eyed reaction was anything to go by. Like it or not, Jaune was technically correct. Vigilantism was a crime. As was the amount of damage which Ruby had seen Yang do to the club just standing outside of it.

It didn't take long for her to recover though, as she was soon back on the offensive. "Well, I may have caused some damage, but I'm at least a good person who did a bad thing." She pointed a finger at the boy. "If you could even call beating up a bunch of gang members a bad thing."

"Oh, so it's okay because you decided they're bad people?"

"I didn't decide," Yang protested. "The law did. People like them break all kinds of laws and get away with it."

"And your friend's a terrorist," he pointed out. "What do you think the law has to say about that?"

"You don't know that!"

Alarms were ringing in Ruby's head and she quickly ran out ahead of both of them before putting her arms in between them. It wasn't as if they were about to come to blows, however the gesture was more for show than anything else.

"Guys," she pleaded. "Come on. Now's not the time. You're friends, remember?"

They were friends in the broadest sense of the word. They'd only known each other for about a day. However with Jaune as her own friend and Yang as her sister, she was the glue which held them together. Being the intermediary meant that they could be friends too. Even if right now it didn't seem like they were.

Yang was the first to relent. It wasn't unusual when it came to matters concerning Ruby's wishes. "Fine."

Thankfully Jaune was in agreement. "Yeah. Got a little heated there I guess."

More silence. Ruby just wished that something would happen so that they could come to some sort of understanding. Whether it was Yang apologizing, or Jaune explaining what the girls were really all about, she just wanted this tension between the blondes to end.

As it turned out Yang seemed to be the one to offer some sort of olive branch. "I guess... I guess I sometimes lose my temper too," she admitted. After a few seconds she followed up on her thought. "Back at the club. I was looking for someone. I guess I was disappointed when I didn't find what... who I was looking for."

Ruby could take a guess who that person was. She had gone out looking for the woman once before. It had nearly gotten both of them killed. It turned out this time, if Jaune was right, that two different girls had been close to being killed.

"I found them afterward," Jaune said after Yang had finished her thought. "They were both hurt pretty bad. Aura totally drained from Miltia at least. Could have turned out a lot worse though. Luckily it didn't."

Yang nodded slowly. The expression on her face was distant, and perhaps she was thinking something similar to what Ruby was. "Yeah."

"You can't just go around hurting people because you think they're bad."

"Isn't that what you're doing?" she argued. "What you did before? Going out and kicking White Fang ass because you think they're bad?"

"That's not the same at all. The White Fang _are_ bad. I know that. But Melanie and Miltia aren't bad people."

"Yeah? How well do you really know them? You've only been working there like a month. Two tops."

Before Jaune could reply, Ruby felt as though she had to interject. She made a fist before coughing into it meaningfully. Moving a bit closer to Yang, she spoke in a lower voice than normal as if what she was about to say was some sort of private or embarrassing information. "Uh, Yang. They're kinda, um, his... his girlfriends."

A look of sudden realization replaced the formerly upset expression on her sister's face. A glance over to Jaune, who had also heard those words, saw him wearing a confused, and almost panicked look on his own face.

"Oh. Ooooh," Yang said knowingly. "Now it makes sense." A small grin spread across her lips as she looked at the boy in a seemingly whole different light now. "But wow, both of them? Way to go. No wonder you're working there."

"W-wait, what?" he sputtered. His reaction made Ruby feel as though she maybe shouldn't have spilled that info without his consent. "No. That's not it. Not at all. I mean honestly Mel just sort of likes to mess around with me, but nothing beyond that."

"Ah, gotcha. Friends with benefits. Still. Nice."

He waved his arms animatedly. "No, not like that either! And definitely not after tonight."

"But you didn't deny anything about the other one."

Ruby's head swung back around to look at Jaune. Yang was right. He didn't deny anything about the other girl.

She saw how he scratched the back of his head nervously. Her heart sank at the thought of her sister actually hurting the girl.

"Well..." he started. "It's kinda complicated, I think. And I think I killed any chance I had with her coming with you guys tonight." He shook his head. "But we're getting off track here. This isn't about my love life. Or lack of one."

To be honest Ruby would have rather discussed that then what they had been before. At least now there was no arguing. There was no clash of morals or ideals. Just a few teenagers having a little bit of fun.

Still, she winced at the thought of Jaune's chances of a romantic relationship with that girl being potentially ruined. Once upon a time she had feared being known as Ruby "the home wrecker" Rose when it came to him and those girls. As it turned out, even if he wasn't currently in a relationship with either of them, that nickname might be close to being true.

"The point is, they're not all bad. Yeah, they work at Junior's club. But so do I. And I'm right here with you trying to stop the White Fang because I've seen what kind of monsters they are." He glanced over at Weiss, and she gave him a small nod of approval. "And they have to be stopped."

"Okay, fine," Yang relented. "I get it. I guess... it's possible they're alright. You're right, I don't know them. Just like you don't know Blake. And I know that White Fang or not, she's still a good person too. One you shouldn't lump in with the rest of the terrorists."

Jaune shrugged. "Fair enough."

Was that it then? Did this conflict have a peaceful resolution?

Ruby's dreams shattered like ice when Weiss spoke next.

"We'll see," the heiress said coldly. "They _are_ monsters. They _are_ murderers. Jaune said that he knew a victim of theirs. So did I. A great number of victims, in fact."

Yang turned her focus to Weiss now. "Weiss, you can't possibly believe Blake's a murderer."

Weiss looked back, her gaze hard and unwavering. "I wouldn't have believed that the girl I shared a room with was a part of the White Fang either. Now, however, I don't know what to believe anymore."

She wasn't exactly wrong. Ruby never would have imagined that Blake was caught up in all of that political and extremist nonsense. However as both Yang and Jaune had brought up, looks could be deceiving. For better or for worse.

Hopefully they would be able to find out soon. They had been looking at each dock they passed. Who knew that Vale had such an extensive shoreline? Or that it had so much industrial space? They had seen so many ships and cargo containers at this point that everything was starting to blur together.

That was when she heard it. They all heard it if their physical reactions were anything to go by. The explosion and rising plume of black smoke was more than reason to investigate one of the docks up in the distance. Perhaps it was quite literally the 'smoking gun' which Weiss had been referring to.

The four teens all shared a glance. In a heartbeat their past grievances were forgotten.

Ruby was the first to speak. "Guys... do you think..."

She didn't need to say anything more before Yang pushed ahead, taking the lead as her pace increased. "Let's go."

As one they dashed towards the voice, and the potential threats that came with it.

* * *

It almost felt as if he was surrounded by walls, and they were closing in on him. Large cargo containers labeled with the words Schnee Dust across the sides littered the area. If they were full then they were walking in on a very volatile area. A volatile situation. Who would be careless enough to create an explosion when surrounded by literal tonnes of dust?

Jaune could feel his pulse inside of his head as he ran with the three girls from Beacon. Adrenaline was beginning to surge through him. Underneath the leather of his gloves his hands felt warm and sweaty. The all too familiar feeling of anticipation and anxiety was building in his chest. A fight was coming. A fight against the White Fang. How weird was it that despite his fears and concerns, that a part of him was actually craving this fight? Out of both a sense of justice, and a sense of personal satisfaction.

The blonde girl, who he had only recently exchanged harsh words with, put up a hand that brought the three teens who were following her to a sudden and grinding halt. She pressed herself up flat against one of the crates, and the others were quick to mimic her actions. Overheard the roaring engine of a low flying Bullhead forced him to bring his hands up to his ears. He could feel the wind blow harshly past him as the vehicle touched down nearby.

More explosions began to sound, their loud booms dwarfing even the air ship's noisy engines. They had to do something. Now. Before whoever was stupid enough to be blowing up a few thousand pounds of dust managed to get them all killed.

Peeking around one of the corners of the container, Jaune felt his heart skip. The Bullhead which had touched down was currently disgorging White Fang soldiers. They were all armed. And with at least one more Bullhead still flying over them, they were also only just the beginning.

"Oh my gods," he heard Yang gasp. He turned to look at her, but a moment later she was gone.

"Yang wait!" Ruby shouted as she rushed after her sister.

Subtly was out the window now. This would be the best chance they had at the element of surprise. He followed closely after Weiss, ripping Crocea Mors from its sheath, and was soon out in the open.

"Blake!" Yang yelled as she rushed up to the girl in black and white who was picking herself off the ground. She may have been a little roughed up, but at least she was alive.

That was when Jaune saw him. An all too familiar face who he thought he would never see again. The man in white. The man with the exploding cane. The one who was apparently responsible for both the explosions and the current state of Blake.

Roman Torchwick.

Now though, instead of having a handful of Junior's goons around him, there were White Fang terrorists. By the looks of it at least ten of them. At first the sight of them all was a little bit intimidating, but Jaune soon remembered his own experiences against them. He and the twins had managed to take out around a dozen of them themselves. This many shouldn't be too much of a problem for a whole team of huntresses, right?

Yang was at her friend's side in an instant as she helped the girl to her feet. If Blake was in the White Fang, then why was she currently fighting against them? And if the White Fang hated humans, why were they allied with Roman Torchwick? This didn't make sense. None of it made sense.

"Are you okay?" the blonde girl asked. Genuine concern showed in every syllable she spoke and movement she made.

Blake seemed to shrug her friend's concern off, quite literally as she pushed Yang away gently to show that she did not need any help standing. "I'm fine," she said. "He's quick though. Be careful."

Apparently Roman was quick if he was able to escape both Ruby and the professional huntress who had apparently tried to stop him the night of the dust shop robbery. Escaping from Ruby was one thing. But an actual fully trained huntress? That spoke volumes of how dangerous Roman must have been.

This fight just became a lot more serious.

"I can't believe this!" Roman shouted. Jaune looked back over to the man, and saw as the White Fang soldiers began to fan out around them with their weapons at the ready. "You!" he said as he pointed his cane over to Jaune. "And you!" he said as he pointed to Ruby. "You're here, and you're trying to thwart my plans yet again!"

Jaune looked around, suddenly feeling self-conscious about being the center of attention. It wasn't as if he had planned on interfering in any of Roman's operations. Truthfully he had no excuse. However if this operation happened to involve the White Fang, well, there was no going back now.

"You know, I tried to be a nice guy," the man continued. "I tried giving Junior the benefit of the doubt. Because believe it or not, I actually have more important things to deal with than a bunch of meddling kids." He threw his hands up in the air in frustration. "But here you are again. Someone associated with Junior with a group of huntresses by his side. You know what they say. Once is an accident. Twice is a coincidence. And three times means enemy action."

Ruby turned her head slightly, keeping her eyes on her foes as she whispered to Jaune. "I knew you were a secret crime fighter and not a bad guy," she gushed.

Roman held up his free hand, holding his thumb and forefinger close to each other. "But after everything you people have done in the past few weeks, I did have just the _tiniest_ suspicion that someone might try and interfere in my operation tonight. And what do you know, I was right! So I brought along a little insurance."

Jaune looked around. Ten or so White Fang members certainly did not seem like insurance to him. Not if they were the same quality of fighters he had fought against before. Perhaps Roman simply did not know how outmatched he was right now.

"And now that I know that Junior is actively working against me, I am going to bring him and his little operation down."

"I've heard enough!" Blake shouted. "I don't know what you've told the White Fang to make them work with you, but I am taking _you_ down!"

Blake charged before anyone could even say another word. A black blade was in her hands, and with her speed and skill she was probably hoping to bring Roman down with one blow.

She never got the chance.

Jaune didn't even see what happened. One minute the path was clear, and the next another person was blocking it, with Blake was tumbling back on the ground. A small woman in white, brown and pink stood with what appeared to be a simple umbrella pointed out at the group in challenge.

Roman laughed. "Oh did I say a little insurance? I meant a lot."

"Blake!" Yang shouted as she dashed forward.

That was when chaos erupted. With Blake down and Yang on the attack, all semblance of civility broke down. Gunshots rang out as those White Fang members armed with rifles opened fire. Others charged forward with weapons in hand intent on carving the teens into pieces.

There was no plan. There was no deciding who would take on who, or how many White Fang members each member of the team thought they could handle at once. The only thing that mattered here was survival.

Bullets clanged off of Jaune's raised shield, and momentarily blocked his view from the approaching terrorists. By the time he lowered it one was already upon him. Jaune brought his shield up to block the first strike from the White Fang member who had charged him. It landed with surprising force, but Jaune quickly threw him back with a shove of the shield. Crocea Mors darted forth with the intent to drop the man in a single blow. To Jaune's surprise the blow was blocked.

He hadn't expected it. The White Fang members from before hadn't been so fast or skilled. Were these men more than new recruits? He never had a chance to ponder the question further before feeling a sharp blow strike his back.

He turned around on instinct. His sword turned with him, and struck hard against the man who had dared to take a swing at him. A grunt of pain flew from the faunus' lips as he fell backwards from the attack. The man probably wouldn't be down for long, but at least it was one less foe to worry about for now.

His first opponent took advantage of the distraction and landed a solid blow himself, this time to the back of Jaune's head. A cry of pain escaped his lips and his vision swam for a brief moment, but that pain was soon replaced by anger. Using his superior size and strength to his advantage, Jaune abandoned any pretense of skill and simply lowered his head before lunging at the terrorist. His sword and shield clattered to the ground as Jaune tackled the man, using his weight to keep him pinned to the ground. As he did so, the blonde unleashed a flurry of heavy fists against his opponent's face. There was resistance at first, but the boy's attacks were frantic. His strikes had the advantage of being boosted by Aura. After a few seconds the terrorist's defenses crumbled and his face was exposed to gloved fists. Jaune hit. And hit. And hit. He screamed as he continued to pound down on mask and flesh. Soon enough the pale skin not covered by the White Fang mask had turned crimson from a bleeding mouth and lacerated skin.

Thought vanished from the boy's mind entirely. Jaune's breathing was heavy as he stood from his incapacitated foe. He grabbed his sword and shield as he looked around. As the swirling melee raged around him he saw glimpses of his comrades in action. Ruby's scythe was reaping a fine harvest as she tore through terrorists left and right. Weiss and a now recovered Blake were off engaging Roman Torchwick, an seemingly keeping him on edge. Yang had decided to avenge her teammate, and was currently battling against the strange woman who had appeared from nowhere. If he and Ruby could quickly finish off the remainder of the grunts, they'd be able to help out against the actual threats.

Another White Fang member came running with an axe held high. Rather than accept the blow and counter attack like he had attempted to do before, Jaune kicked out as soon as he was within range. The man doubled over in pain, dropping the axe as Jaune followed up his attack with a slash from Crocea Mors. A second slash. A third. Aura rippled over the man's skin as it broke, and if he was smart he would stay down.

A familiar voice cried out in pain. Looking to where it had come from, Jaune saw that Yang was getting up slowly as the mystery lady walked casually over towards her. She still carried an umbrella in her hands. What was going on over there?

Another voice sounded, this time from Ruby. "Hang on, Yang!" she shouted as she knocked another terrorist aside with her scythe. Silver eyes caught his own looking at her, and she spoke once more. "Jaune I have to help Yang! Can you take the rest alone?"

Jaune's eyes darted around. There was smoke in the air. He had lost count of how many terrorists he had already dispatched. However there was no time to think. If Yang was in trouble then Ruby needed to go now. "Yeah!" he shouted back. "Go!"

Ruby nodded once before hefting her scythe and setting off to help Yang.

He watched her go. It was a stupid move. Another blow to his head sent him falling down to the side. He landed down on a knee, his shield slipping from his grip as he put a hand out to keep from falling entirely.

Crocea Mors swung once more in anger. At this height it connected with legs rather than torso, and the faunus who had struck the blow was himself taken down off his feet. Jaune once again pounced, and sent blow after blow raining down upon the man, only now it was the pommel of his sword striking rather than his knuckles.

It was savage fighting. Hard. Desperate. Jaune barely had any time to catch his breath between opponents. He had always thought the life of a huntsman would be more glamorous. Men and women in cool clothes with even cooler weapons. Acrobatic combat moves. Saving the day against the creatures of Grimm. These were the kinds of things he had expected. This... this was anything but that.

Rolling around on the ground. Slamming his fists into faces. Breaking bones and teeth. Sprays of blood hitting his face. This was not what he had expected at all. However this was the life he had chosen. This was the life of a huntsman. Grimm didn't give up because you were tired. Grimm would not show you mercy. Neither would terrorists. Monsters. Murderers.

Jaune used a sleeve to wipe away the warm liquid which had accumulated on his face. A look down at his hands revealed them to be red. The light brown of his leather gloves was darkened with liquid. This was madness. Pure madness. However he had to fight. He had to.

 _If you hold back you're going to die._

Melanie's words rang in his mind.

 _If you hold back you're going to die._

He wasn't holding back. He was fighting for his life. The blood on his hands showed as much.

More men came at him. More men fell. There was no room for skill anymore. Any moves which had been taught to him by his father long ago were forgotten in the desperate fighting. He was like a cornered animal. He had to do anything to survive. Every slash and stab of his sword had only one purpose. Survive. Win. Live.

The blonde didn't know where he was anymore. Or rather, he did not know where Ruby and the rest were. At some point in the battle he had become separated from the group. He could still hear the sounds of battle coming from somewhere, maybe even on the other side of one of the crates near him. However right now he was all but alone. Out of sight might as well have meant out of mind in the heat of combat.

He was knocked down again. Without Ruby there were so many foes all around waiting for an opportunity to strike. As he stood back up once more there was already another opponent coming at him. Jaune was knocked right back down to the ground, and was sent sprawling over next to one of the Schnee dust crates.

He blinked hard. He couldn't hear anymore because his ears were ringing so loudly. Crawling away from the pursuing terrorist, Jaune desperately sought to find purchase on the crate and lift himself back to his feet. He was kicked back down to the ground by his opponent. The man raised his sword in the air to attempt landing the finishing blow.

Crocea Mors was still gripped tightly in his hand. He had only one move left in his arsenal.

As the White Fang member swung down, Jaune thrust up. He felt a wet and squishy sensation as the sword's cross guard met the faunus' stomach.

* * *

Well this was a mess.

Miltia knew that Jaune and the others had some distance on them. However it had only been what, ten minutes? Twenty tops? How could so much trouble go down in that span of time?

The explosion was what had drawn them in. Even from their distance it had been visible. Things didn't normally explode in the industrial district of Vale. So they had ran. Not for the sake of some potential peace between Junior and the White Fang. But for Jaune. If Jaune was there getting into trouble with the White Fang, she needed to get there fast.

It hadn't taken long for the sounds of battle to ring in the air. The occasional burst of gunfire was tame compared to the explosions which lit up the scene. More plumes of smoke drifted into the air. The familiar sound of shotgun gauntlets sent chills down her spine. This was definitely the right place. It was simply a matter of finding the boy they were looking for and bringing him back to the club.

The rest of the girls could find their own ways out for all she cared.

They were close enough to taste the pungent and acidic dust from spent ammunition in the air. Just a little longer. She hoped that he wouldn't be hurt.

Miltia turned and looked at her sister as they ran. They were quickly approaching a group of dust containers and would soon have to decide whether to go left or right. She made the decision then and there to do both.

"Go left," she called out to Melanie. "I'll go right."

Melanie nodded without a word.

Splitting up from her twin always gave her pause. In battle they were a well-oiled machine from both experience and Semblance. It wasn't as if she was uncomfortable fighting on her own. She simply enjoyed having the security of someone having her back. Someone who would go to any lengths to protect her, just as she would do the same for Melanie. However as of right now time was of the essence. Comfort took a backseat.

Miltia's heart skipped a beat as she saw a man clad in White Fang clothing come stumbling out from behind the corner of a crate. His hand leaned upon it for support, and if anything he was probably trying to flee from the action rather than join it like Miltia was. It didn't matter. He was in her way. That could not be allowed.

A slash from her curved claws tore through flesh, and the terrorist screamed at the two new gashes were created on his chest. The wound wasn't enough to be fatal, but it was enough to ensure that he would no longer be a threat on this night.

As she turned the corner she let out a growl of frustration as there were yet more crates. Was this place a maze or something? Did the men who worked the docks simply drop the containers wherever they felt like? It was stupid. It was beyond stupid. And it was incredibly frustrating.

Miltia darted and dashed through openings in the crates as she found them. Occasionally she saw glimpses of the action, which she happily ignored. None of the people she had seen were who she was looking for. She didn't care about Ruby Rose. Or Yang. Or the others. Their fights were not her concern.

The edge of another container brought with it another spark of hope that this would be it. That she would turn it, and find the blonde boy she was looking for. This time she was right.

This time her heart sank.

He was there. Jaune was there. He was slumped up against the side of one of the crates. His face was bloody. His hands were bloody. He wasn't moving.

Miltia's blood froze. She rushed over to him as fast as her legs would carry her.

 _Please don't be dead. Please don't be dead. Please don't be dead._

Her feet skid on the ground as she stopped herself as quickly as she could when she reached him. Lowering herself down, she knelt beside him and put a hand on his shoulder. "Jaune!" she cried, her voice shaky as she did. "How bad is it? Where were you hit?"

His eyes were open. He was breathing. That was good. She knew now he wasn't dead. However he wasn't moving. He wasn't even looking at her. His eyes were locked forward.

"Jaune," she repeated. She shook his shoulder lightly. "Jaune it's me. What's wrong? Where are you hurt?"

He still didn't move. He continued to stare blankly. Miltia followed his gaze to whatever it was he was looking at.

She wished she hadn't.

Over there, around ten feet away, was another White Fang member lying on his back. Only he wasn't flat on his back, there was something sticking out from underneath him. The white shirt of his uniform was stained red, courtesy of the sword which was impaled in his abdomen.

 _Oh fuck. Oh fuck fuck fuck._

A pair of hands lay lifelessly around the blade, as if maybe in his final moments he had attempted to stem the bleeding or pull the sword from his body. It wouldn't have mattered though. Such a wound was mortal, and it had probably only taken around a minute before enough of the man's blood was drained from his body to end his life.

"Fuck..." she whispered, finally giving voice to her thoughts. She looked back to Jaune. He continued to stare at the man.

The man he had killed.

Neither Miltia nor Melanie had ever been forced to take a life. She never wanted to experience that feeling either. They had seen enough death in their young lives. She could only imagine what Jaune must have been going through at this moment.

"Jaune..." she whispered again.

"He didn't have Aura," Jaune said softly. His eyes still refused to look into her own. "He was supposed to have Aura. Why didn't he have Aura?"

She didn't know. Right now the whys and hows of what had happened didn't matter to her. She didn't know what to think. She didn't know what to say. However she knew she had to say something.

Her focus returned squarely to the blonde boy in front of her. "Jaune, I need you to listen to me." Her words went unheeded. His attention was still fixated on the other man. "Jaune, look at me."

He didn't look. He didn't even react. She could tell her words were not getting through to him.

"Look at me!" she screamed. Miltia grabbed hold of the boy's head and forcibly turned it so that his eyes met hers. "Don't look at him. Look at me. Focus on me. Only me."

The words had a certain narcissistic feel to them which would have made even Melanie proud. However at the moment her own ego was the last thing on her mind.

For the first time since her arrival it seemed like he was acknowledging her presence. Liquid blue eyes stared into her own, and yet somehow it still seemed as if he was looking past her rather than at her.

She felt him trying to shake his head, but it was still firmly held in her hands. "He's dead," Jaune whispered. "He's dead because of me. I killed him. I killed him."

He was just babbling at this point. His voice was wavering. On the verge of breaking completely. He was in shock. And understandably so.

Miltia's next words came naturally, without any real thought or purpose behind them. They just seemed right. They came without hesitation, as did the kiss she planted on the top of his head after pulling him close to her chest, cradling him against herself. "It's okay, Jaune. It's okay." The words were soft and soothing, as were her fingers which gently stroked through his hair as she held him. "I've got you. Just let it all out. I'm here for you."

She felt traces of moisture upon the bare flesh that the top of her dress offered. She knew they were his tears. She would have known even without the shaking sobs which wracked his body as she held him close. Normally she would not have let a man be so intimate with her. However she knew there was nothing amorous about this situation. It was the last thing on his mind. If he was even thinking at all.

"I've got you," she repeated. Despite him standing a good eight inches taller than her, he felt small in her arms. "I've got you."

Her eyes squeezed shut, threatening to unleash tears of her own as she buried her face into a messy mop of blonde hair. She didn't care how much dirt or grime he was caked with. He was hurting. He needed this. So did she.

She didn't know how long she held him like that. She didn't care either. It didn't matter that they were somewhere on the edge of a warzone. Anybody who tried to come at them in this moment would be signing his own death warrant.

It was to her great relief that the first person who did find them happened to be Melanie. The familiar sight of her white dress appeared from around the corner, where she paused at the sudden sight of Miltia and Jaune in such close proximity to each other. Green eyes darted around trying to make sense of the situation before they finally settled on the corpse of the terrorist.

She brought a hand up to her mouth. "Oh fuck," she gasped.

Miltia made no comment. Nothing more needed to be said.

However Melanie continued. "Miltia, we have to get out of here. _Now._ "

She knew her sister was right. With whatever Ruby and her friends were doing against the White Fang, a terrorist attack on public property, and a dead body in close proximity to them, the last thing Miltia wanted was to stay. However she had to get Jaune up and moving again. She would not leave him behind. The idea was unthinkable.

Her lack of response must have prompted some sense of urgency. "Miltia!" her twin screamed.

"I know!" she finally replied. She looked down at Jaune, and gently pushed him away from her. She wished she could have kept him close. She wished that none of this had happened at all. However right now this was reality. All they could do was try and make the best of it. "Jaune," she continued. "Jaune we have to move. I know this is hard. I know this hurts. But we have to go. Please."

He nodded. It was quicker than normal. Miltia doubted he was comprehending what she was saying and why. However the fact that he was complying right now was all that mattered.

The next time she saw Melanie, the girl had Jaune's shield in her hands. Where she had gotten it from she didn't know. "Grab his sword," the girl ordered. "No evidence."

Miltia nodded. The thought of even being near Tukson's body had been enough to make her gag. As was the thought of searching his body. However she approached the still warm corpse of the White Fang member and pulled Jaune's sword from his stomach without hesitation.

She felt as though she was going to vomit. However she held it back with all of her might. DNA evidence here at this crime scene would be a disaster.

"Put it-" Melanie's words were hesitant as she saw the sight of red on the sword's blade. "Put it here," she said as she offered the sheath, which she had collapsed from its shield form.

Miltia did so. Looking back at Jaune she could see that he was standing on his own power now. She didn't know if he would be able to run, however. In his state she didn't trust that he would be able to. They would have to support him if he couldn't.

She motioned for Melanie to follow. "Grab onto one side. I'll get the other."

With one of Jaune's arms slung around her shoulders, and the other around Melanie's, the trio ran off into the night as fast as they could.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** It felt really good to finally write that. I've only been sitting on that last scene for the past six months now.

Up to this point, it has been a very intentional decision to have Jaune's opponents have Aura. He may be more skilled in this story than in canon, but he's just as naive. To him, why would you get involved in fighting if you _didn't_ have Aura? He just naturally assumed everyone he went up against would have it. He got lucky with the man he smashed with his shield last chapter. He didn't have Aura, which is why he got split open after one hit from the shield. Jaune just didn't realize it at the time. Things would have been much different had he gotten a hit with his sword.

This actually brings up a whole other issue about killing in RWBY. Do all of the grunts in the White Fang and Junior's club have Aura? I wouldn't think so. What happens when Ruby and company hit them with their blades? What happened to those guys at Mountain Glenn who got knocked off the train and into the approaching pack of Grimm? Never addressed in-universe, but something to think about. How do these characters deal with death? With the people they've undoubtedly killed?

This was Jaune's first kill. I'd like to think that shock, horror, and disbelief would be the reaction most people would have. I plan on doing some research into soldiers and police officers, and how they feel after they've taken lives in the line of duty. I can't imagine it's something that's easy to deal with, even with them knowing that it was a "me or them" kind of situation.

As always, my thanks go out to everyone for reading and reviewing. It always makes me feel so special and proud that so many people care.

So this is a major turning point in the story. Did it feel appropriate? Let me know your thoughts. I'd love to hear them.


	17. Chapter 17

The water that swirled around his feet was tinted orange-red as he stood in the shower. Warm water cascaded off of his body, his hands scrubbing away at his skin lathered in soap. He had to get it off. He had to get clean. He couldn't shake the filthy feeling, however. Despite how pristine his skin appeared, despite how raw it was from his nails scratching against it, he still felt dirty. His mind could not let him forget.

Even as Jaune closed his eyes so that he would not see the bloody water as it escaped down the drain, he saw another terrible sight in the darkness. He saw the face of the man he had killed. Jaune hadn't been able to see his eyes, being obscured by the White Fang mask. However even without seeing the man's eyes, Jaune could read the expression of shock and surprise on his face. He saw the terrorist's mouth open wide as he was impaled by Crocea Mors' blade. He could hear the guttural croak which had slipped through the man's throat as metal slipped up through one of his lungs. He could hear his foe's own weapon clatter to the ground as he stumbled backwards a few steps before collapsing onto the ground.

Over and over again the scene played in Jaune's mind. It had repeated itself as he and the twins fled back to Junior's club. As he discarded torn and bloody clothes in his room. As he stepped into the shower to cleanse the filth from his body. He could not escape it. There was no escaping it. A terrible empty feeling in the pit of his stomach accompanied his thoughts. He felt cold in spite of the warm water and steam which filled the small room.

All the while the same questions ran through his head. Why did this have to happen? What would happen now? How would he ever live with himself? How would he ever get over this?

Jaune tried to rationalize it with himself. He tried to battle against his own thoughts and feelings. The member of the White Fang had been prepared to kill him. It was a fight involving weapons, after all. Jaune's foe had been prepared to kill him. It was kill or be killed. That he knew for a fact.

It didn't make the other facts any easier though. It wasn't as if the dead man had been some burglar who posed a threat to Jaune and his loved ones. It wasn't as if this was a fight between two soldiers on the battlefield. No, Jaune had gone there willingly. Jaune had looked for this fight. He had anticipated it. Enjoyed it. He had wanted this. He wanted to clash blades with the White Fang. He wanted to punish them.

Not like this though. Never like this.

That was the issue. Jaune had never wanted to kill anybody. It made him no different than those in the White Fang who he hated. Like them, Jaune had done this by choice. Like them, he had gone out with the intention of inflicting harm on others. Like them, he had killed.

He was the monster now. He had become everything that he hated about the White Fang.

Tears welled up in Jaune's eyes again. If only he hadn't gone. If only he had made one decision differently. Then this would not have happened. His hands would still be clean.

Or would they?

How many others had he harmed since he had come to work at Junior's club? How many people had he slashed at with Crocea Mors? How many had he pummeled into bloody messes with his fists? What if this wasn't the first one? What if one of the many White Fang grunts or Junior's men he had fought against hadn't had Aura either? What if he had unknowingly killed one of them?

He had been so stupid. So stupid and naive. Not everyone had Aura. Not everyone had once been an aspiring huntsman. There were so many people out there. So many ordinary criminals who didn't have fancy weapons or professional training. They were just people. Vulnerable, squishy people. Ones who could be killed with a simple stab to the torso. Just like the one Jaune had killed.

After standing in the shower for what must have been half an hour at this point, Jaune turned the water off before stepping out. A fresh wave of coldness hit him after leaving the warm water and feeling the air on his wet skin. He didn't know what he was going to do after getting dressed. He just wanted to sleep. A part of him was scared that he would not be able to. Another was scared of what he might see in his dreams when he did.

He quickly put on his sleeping attire and sat upon his old creaky bed. Staring down at the floor, he brought his hands up to his head and gripped it tightly. This had to be a dream. It was all just a bad dream. He wanted to wake up. However he also knew that this was all merely wishful thinking. He had killed a man. He would have to live with that now.

His body jumped as he heard a light knock on the door. A slightly muffled voice came from the other side. "Jaune, are you there?"

He couldn't tell who it was thanks to the door. Melanie may have been the more vocal of the twins, however she wasn't known for her tact, nor her respect of privacy. She was far more likely to barge in when he was changing his clothes rather than asking if she could come in. He supposed there was only one way to find out.

"Yeah."

A pause. Finally they spoke again. "Can I come in?"

Again, it was odd that Melanie would even ask. Did that mean it was Miltia speaking?

"Sure."

A moment later the door opened to reveal the girl in the red dress. A blood red dress. Jaune could not help but be reminded of the last time he had seen a person clad in red clothing.

Unlike him, Miltia still wore the clothes she had been in earlier in the evening. Jaune guessed that they had not gotten nearly as dirty as he had. They hadn't been stained with blood. At least not on this night.

A look up at her face showed she was concerned. There was worry in her emerald eyes. He hated it. He hated the pity that she had for him. He didn't like it when people felt sorry for him. It was simply enough that they acknowledged what he was going through. There didn't need to be any more to it than that.

She sat down on his left side, trapping him between herself and one of the walls his bed was against. It was almost like a modified form of the tactic the girls liked to use on him. Whether it was sitting at the bar, walking down the sidewalk, or right here, they always seemed to surround him. To keep him in the middle. So that there was no escape.

His hand flinched when he felt a weight on it. Looking over he saw that Miltia had placed her own hand on his. There was an utterly foreign expression on her face. One of sadness. Empathy. Her makeup looked off. Her eyes were tinted red. As if she had been crying too. He wasn't about to ask if she had been, however.

Her tone matched the expression fittingly. "How are you feeling, Jaune?" she asked.

How was he feeling? Could he even begin to describe it? He didn't think that he could. So he just answered honestly. "I don't know."

Miltia bit down on her lower lip and nodded. She didn't say anything more though. It wasn't unusual coming from her.

"Is there anything we can do for you?" she asked. She gently squeezed down on his hand when she asked.

She couldn't turn back time. So, no. There was nothing truly helpful they could do for him.

"No, but thanks though," he said earnestly. Despite how he was feeling, he wasn't about to lash out at her for what had happened. The fact that she cared about him deserved his thanks.

Jaune looked back down at the floor. For long seconds he sat there. His hand feeling the warmth of the one that held it. His entire body feeling the warmth of the girl next to him. He didn't have anything to say. If Miltia wanted a conversation, she would have to be the one who said something.

Finally she did. "I don't know what you're going through right now," she started. The was a surprise to Jaune. He had always been under the assumption that there was the possibility that the twins had killed before. "But... I dunno. It was a fight, right? It was either you or him."

It was the same logic Jaune himself was trying to apply to the situation. If Jaune had not fought back, if he had not used the weapon he had as his disposal, he would have been the one to eventually wind up dead. He could still recall the words Melanie had spoken to him before raiding the White Fang hideout. The same words which had echoed in his mind at the docks. He could not hold back. If he held back then he would die.

Well, he had certainly not held back. _He_ had not been the one to die.

Jaune shook his head. "I know," he said softly. "It's what I keep telling myself over and over. But..." He felt his face growing warmer. He felt tears begin to well up in his eyes. "I should have stayed," he whispered. "I shouldn't have gone with Ruby."

He remembered how Miltia had pleaded with him. He remembered Melanie's anger. They hadn't been concerned about this hypothetical outcome. The thought of a dead man hadn't crossed any of their minds. To them it had all been about loyalty. Friendship. Choosing the correct side to take in an argument. Jaune wished he had listened to them. He wished he had never gone with Ruby.

Another squeeze on his hand caused him to look back to Miltia. "Don't worry about that," she told him. She looked as if she wanted to say more, but was having trouble coming up with the words.

He supposed he should be thankful that Miltia wasn't holding a grudge over his decision. She had always been the more reasonable of the sisters. The more empathetic. Perhaps that was why it was her up here talking to him right now and not Melanie. He wondered where the other girl was right now.

"You did what you had to," she added. She was straight and to the point. How very Melanie-like of her. "The world won't miss a terrorist."

Was that supposed to make him feel better? Trying to paint the man he had killed as evil, and therefore justifying his death?

"But there are like... people who would miss you."

Jaune suddenly became very aware of the fact that she was holding his hand. Lost in all of this was the fact that Miltia had a thing for him. Supposedly. If drunk Melanie was to be believed. He was starting to see it more and more now.

He mind may have been checked out at the time, but he remembered the way Miltia had held him at the docks. The way she had stroked his hair. The way she had kissed the top of his head in order to comfort him. Sure, it may have been purely out of comfort and concern for him. Yet more of Miltia's empathy on display. However, it hardly seemed like something that any old friend would do. He couldn't imagine Ruby or Yang doing the same in that situation.

What truly awful timing. What terrible circumstances. A girl liked him, and he had just murdered a man. Life was cruel. Life was unfair. Then again, he was the one who had chosen this life. He had no one to blame but himself.

He recognized that blame when he responded to Miltia's words. "I didn't have to do anything," he argued. "I didn't have to be there. I chose to. It's my fault."

That was the key. It wasn't about necessarily killing a person. There were certain situations where that truly was the only option, and he knew that. This was about choice. He hadn't needed to kill anybody tonight. His own actions and decisions brought it about.

"Well even if it was, he was still a terrorist," Miltia countered. "If he was willing to kill you, he would have probably killed like, a bunch of innocent people."

Was that true? Maybe. Still, it did little to make Jaune feel better.

"I could have knocked him out. Could have made sure he got arrested with the others."

She shook her head. "Things aren't that simple in a fight. You had to look out for yourself. And second guessing yourself will get you killed."

Again, maybe. Again, it didn't make him feel any better.

"He wasn't innocent. He was a terrorist. If it had to be him or you who had to die, I'd go with that monster every time."

Monster. Did she use that word intentionally because she knew that was how he viewed the White Fang ? It was a word he had used so often to describe them. After what they had done to Tukson. After all of their violent actions in the world which Jaune had become more aware of following his first experience with them. Yes, they were indeed monsters. Now after what he had done, what was he now if not a monster?

He knew Miltia was trying to make him feel better. Trying to justify his actions. Trying to rationalize the fact that he had killed a man. On the surface her arguments made sense. It was either Jaune or the terrorist who had to die. The terrorist was an evil man. The terrorist would have killed innocents somewhere down the line had he lived. The fact that he was dead was a good thing.

All of that was easy to say if you weren't the one who had carried out that death sentence. All of those pretty words were true if you didn't have to live with the consequences.

Jaune was tired. He didn't want to argue about it anymore. It was going nowhere anyway. Her words weren't convincing him of anything. She wasn't telling him anything he hadn't already tried to tell himself.

"I... I think I'm going to get some sleep," he said as he stared down at the floor.

Miltia was hesitant to get up. Hesitant to release her hold on his hand. She wanted to try to make him feel better. She wanted to be there for him. However despite her best efforts, her tactics simply weren't working. It wasn't through any fault of her own. It was his inability to be consoled. It was his fault.

He still appreciated her efforts. Like he had told Yang, these girls were not the bad people she had painted them out to be. There was more to them. Other sides to them.

Just as there were others sides to Jaune now.

The girl in red still hadn't gotten up yet. Finally though, after a few more seconds of silence, she stood. Miltia looked down at him. "Just call us if you need anything, alright?"

He nodded wordlessly. What did he need that they could provide? He wasn't looking for pity or sympathy.

Realizing that she wasn't going to get a verbal response, Miltia moved out of the room, closing the door behind her. Jaune was alone with his thoughts once more.

He laid back in bed, resting his head against the pillow as he brought the covers over himself. Who was he kidding? He wasn't going to be able to fall asleep right now. He just wanted to be alone.

Jaune could not recall a time he had felt this bad. Not even getting kicked out of Beacon brought as much pain and misery as he was feeling right now. He had never gotten punished for that crime. Perhaps this was it. His past was finally catching up with him. All of the events which had led up to this evening had started because he had tried to sneak his way into Beacon. If not for that he would have never wound up at this club. He would have never met Tukson. He would have never met Ruby. He would have never been at the docks.

He also remembered how he had dealt with the pain of his shattered dream. He remembered more of Melanie's words. Something that could make you forget for a night. And every other night after that, if he wanted.

* * *

Melanie would be the first to admit that she was a bitch. She had anger issues. She had a foul mouth. She had violent tendencies which she enjoyed taking out on others.

That was why seeing all of that in her normally docile twin sister was just a little bit unnerving.

There was broken glass on the floor. At least one table had been flipped. And that stool wasn't supposed to be on the other side of the dance floor. Yet, there it was. All of these things had happened in front of her very eyes. Seeing their typical roles reversed was an interesting lesson to say the least.

Miltia was pacing back and forth as she continued to work off all of that physical energy of hers. As she continued to blow off steam. Had the situation not been so serious, Melanie would have jokingly told her to go get laid. To get all of that pent up frustration out of her system in the most fun way possible. She would have even told her to go fuck Jaune's brains out. However, the boy was the reason for her sister's anger in the first place. Even Melanie knew that such jokes were off limits right now.

"I should have been there!" her little sister yelled. The girl was livid. It was a side of her that Melanie had not seen all too often in their lives. "I should have fucking been there!"

Miltia blamed herself. It was not hard to understand why. Since the beginning, Miltia had designated herself as Jaune's guardian while working at the club. She was the one who had tried to stop him from working here in the first place. However once that plan had failed, she had decided to try and protect his innocence. To keep him from ending up like them. To save him from living in a dirty, rough, grey-shaded world of crime.

After tonight, it was understandable to see why Miltia thought she had failed at that. There was no going back from this. Tonight a line had been crossed, and it could not be undone. Jaune from this point forward was firmly cemented in their world. Even if there were never any legal repercussions, even if no one outside of this club knew what he had done, he would have to live with it.

Melanie knew her sister's emotions were only further complicated by the fact that she had feelings for the boy. In her mind, Miltia had not only failed a friend tonight. She had failed the boy she had a crush on. Someone who she cared for as more than just a friend.

Still, there was no reason Miltia should blame herself for that. "Mil, there's no way we could have known that would happen," Melanie argued.

Her sister stopped, hands balling up into fists. "I still should have been there," she whispered. A soft shake of her head accompanied her words. "I was pissed off so I fucking abandoned him. And look what happened."

If that was Miltia's logic, then that made Melanie guilty as well. She had not accompanied Jaune to the docks either. However unlike her sister, she did not blame any actions or inactions on what had happened. Doing so was not only pointless, but it was also wrong.

"So what?" Melanie countered. "Even if we had been there, do you think that would have stopped him from fighting? You know how much he hates the White Fang and stuff. There still would have been guys there without Aura."

"Yeah, well, maybe one of us would have fought him instead. Maybe it wouldn't have been Jaune. Maybe-"

"Oh for fuck's sake, Miltia," she snapped. "You're gonna drive yourself insane if you keep talking like that."

Her twin turned on her with an angry glare. "Like what?"

"Maybe!" Melanie snapped. "Maybe! _Maybe!_ " Her tone was harsh, but Melanie had never been the most diplomatic of people. She also felt that being blunt would be the only way to get through to Miltia. "Point is, you can't keep talking about all the 'maybes'. Maybe if we had been there there'd be more dead people. Maybe Jaune would be the dead one. We just don't fucking know, and trying to tell yourself things would be better is stupid."

Her words seemed to quiet her younger sister. This was why she was the older and wiser one, even if it was only by a few minutes. And as a responsible older sister, she would have to be there to set Miltia straight when the girl strayed down the wrong path.

"In fact, you know what?" she continued. "You wanna blame anyone, blame those two fucking bitch sisters. They were there. They should have had his back."

Not only was that the truth, but it would give Miltia an actual target to direct her anger at. Blaming herself would do the girl no favors.

"Yeah, they were there," Miltia said bitterly. "And I wasn't. What does that say about me if two bitches were there for him and I wasn't?"

The question shattered any semblance of progress which almost looked like had been made. This was going nowhere fast. Melanie was getting frustrated by her sister's guilt. By the way she was talking, Miltia may as well have been the one to drive the sword through the terrorist's gut herself. It was beyond stupid, really. She knew that Miltia liked the guy, but taking on this burden because of that attraction would do nobody any good. Least of all herself.

Thankfully there was another voice of reason in the room, albeit a quiet one. A glance over to Junior showed that he was still standing at the bar, idly touching up the many glasses and bottles which sat about. As usual, he simply listened. It was one of his greatest qualities. Having the ability to sit and listen, to absorb information, to form an understanding before speaking had helped him to raise two teenage girls as if they were his own daughters. Perhaps his insight would prove vital right now when it was needed the most.

Melanie turned her attention from her twin and over to Junior, who remained focused on wiping down the glass in his hands with a white rag. "Hei," she called out. "Can you talk some sense into her or something?"

The giant of a man looked up from his work, and dark eyes focused on the girl in red. "Shit happens, Miltia. You know that."

A statement which was all too true. Bad things just happened in life. There was no rhyme or reason to it. There was often nothing which could be done to prevent it either. Mountain Glenn fell to the Grimm, and she and Miltia had lost their parents. Shit happens. That stupid cunt Yang had showed up to the club on a whim and decided to trash the place when she didn't get what she wanted. Shit happens. Tukson was murdered by his own comrades in the White Fang for wanting to leave the organization and start a new life. Shit happens. Jaune went out on his little mission to fight the White Fang, and killed a man in the process. Shit happens.

Apparently the truth of that statement wasn't enough for Miltia, as she walked over closer to where Junior stood. "That's it? That's all you have to say?"

He shrugged as he looked back down at the glass for any signs of dirt or residue from its previous washing. "What do you want me to say, Mil?"

The girl threw her hands up in the air in frustration. "I don't know! Can't you like, talk to him about it or something? You of all people could help him..."

As a former huntsman himself, Junior was a worldly man. He had been a lot of places. Done a lot of things. Seen a lot of people. Seen a lot of death. Including deaths inflicted by his own hands.

It was the darker and grittier side of that glamorous, almost romanticized life of a huntsman that no one liked to talk about. Junior had told them that being a huntsman was about more than just killing monsters. It was about more than just saving people. In the real world there were bad people. There were petty criminals. There were murderers. There were those who had no empathy for their fellow man. There were people whose actions would undoubtedly result in the deaths of innocents. Huntsmen were tasked with apprehending these kinds of people as well. Apprehending, or stopping them completely. By any means necessary. Sometimes killing one person meant saving many. The lives of the many outweighed the life of one person.

"I can't," he said simply.

Those were not the words that Miltia had wanted to hear. Her face twisted in anger as she looked up at Junior. "What do you mean you can't? I'll go wake him up right now and bring him down here."

Junior held up the hand holding his cloth to stop the girl from going on. "There's no point. Not yet anyway."

"Yes there is a point! I was just up there with him. He's fucking hurting right now." Miltia shook her head, her face twisted as if she was holding back tears. "It's like he wasn't Jaune anymore..."

Melanie could feel the anguish in her sister's heart. The boy she cared about was broken. She herself had failed in her mission to protect him. To preserve him. All Miltia wanted to do was help him, but she had no idea how to. On top of that, her best hope of trying to help him had just been shot down by Junior. It was an understandably frustrating situation for the girl.

Junior set his glass and rag down on the counter, and leaned against it with both hands. "Look, it's not that I won't help him," he explained. "But there's no point in doing it until he wants it. If I try to talk to somebody and they aren't ready for it, it'll just go in one ear and out the other. You think that if I tried to make you two feel better about losing your parents the night after it happened that it'd have done any good?"

He brought up a good point. No, that wound had taken years to heal. Years to be able to go a day without tears forming in her eyes at their memory. Even then, it still hurt. There was still a gaping hole in Melanie's heart which she filled in a variety of different ways. The top three being alcohol, violence and sex. However Junior had always been there for her. An ear to listen to her, just as he had been listening tonight. He had been a shoulder to cry on, which both she and Miltia had done many times before in the past. If Junior had decided that they needed to get over their loss immediately, it simply would not have worked. She would have hated him for disregarding her feelings.

Miltia apparently recognized this truth as well, and she closed her with a heavy sigh. Junior was ever the diplomat. A better man than outsiders could ever possibly understand. "I guess..." the girl conceded.

"He needs time to process this. To work things out in his own head before someone else wants to give him their opinion. And it would be just my opinion. I'm not a damn shrink, and the only thing I prescribe is booze and more booze. But if he wants to talk, I'll be here. Just like I'm here for you two."

It was the best solution any of them could hope for. Miltia seemed to realize this as well. There was simply nothing that could be done right now. There was a saying that time healed all wounds. Right now they were still on day zero. Jaune needed time. Maybe then he would be able to move on from what he had done.

"I just wish there was something I could do..." Miltia quietly lamented.

"Be there for him," Junior was quick to say. "You don't have to have the answers. I didn't back when I took you two in. I still don't have them. But I was always there for you. And you two turned out all right."

Melanie smirked. That depended entirely on one's definition of "all right". A pair of enforcers for an underground crime boss who enjoyed drinking and beating people up was not what most people would consider to be "all right". However, it worked for them. All things considered, she would say that Junior had done a fine job in raising them in their parent's absence.

The younger twin nodded. "Yeah. Thanks, Hei."

Miltia started to walk off towards the main staircase. Melanie wondered what she planned on doing now. She said that Jaune would have to be woken up, so she doubted that the girl was going to see him. Maybe she was going to grab a quick shower and go to sleep herself.

That was fine. It gave Melanie more time to speak alone with Junior, just as she had been doing before Miltia came down. He was already filled in on all the details which Melanie herself was aware of. After Miltia's outburst there was more to talk about.

"So..." she started uneasily as she slipped into a stool at the bar. The man was quick to slide an empty glass her direction, which she gladly accepted. "What are we gonna do about that?"

Junior grunted softly. "Whatever we have to."

She hummed in response. Tonight had turned out to be a disaster. Between a White Fang attack in retaliation for their own aggressions, the incident at the docks, and now both Jaune and Miltia's emotional issues, things had gotten complicated. Stupidly so. Her own plans were going to have to be put on hold, or maybe even scrapped entirely.

Melanie had once had an eye for Jaune herself. After all, if Miltia wasn't going to make a move, why let an opportunity like him go to waste? An opportunity for fun. Excitement. Pleasure. A casual relationship which both would enjoy, and both would reap the benefits from. Jaune would have been a perfect fuck buddy, as she had first imagined a couple weeks ago while sitting at the bar with him. Now though, after everything which had transpired tonight, how could she possibly go on with such a plan?

"You think she's gonna do anything stupid?" she asked.

Miltia had always been the far more emotionally stable of the two. The one to think things through more carefully. The one to not let her passions or vices get the better of her. Now though it was clear to Melanie that her sister was in a bad place. Such a thing could make a person unpredictable.

"Probably not. But you be sure to keep an eye on her too, okay?"

That went without saying. Her baby sister was one of the only things in life that Melanie genuinely cared about. She would never let any harm come to Miltia. Including harm that the girl unwittingly brought down upon herself.

Memories of the night Yang trashed the club came into her mind. Memories of cradling her sister's broken body in her lap. Melanie remembered how she had felt when she had first laid eyes upon Jaune that night. She had been ready and willing to tear the boy's throat out had he posed a threat to Miltia. Had that been the case she would have had zero qualms about her own kill count having a tally.

She took a sip from the drink Junior had poured for her. It numbed her tongue for a brief moment, but such a sensation was fleeting. The numbness always was. "Yeah," she agreed. "I will."

* * *

This certainly brought back memories.

A bare table lay in front of her. Bright lights hung overhead. Ruby had been here once before in this very situation. The night she had been accepted into Beacon Academy, she had sat in this very room awaiting her fate.

She felt like a prisoner waiting to be interrogated. The feeling was in fact half true. Although she was a student here at the school, those in power felt as though they needed to get answers out of her. Answers for what had happened earlier that night down by the docks. The fight. The presence of criminals and terrorists.

The dead body.

Ruby was still uncertain how to feel about that fact. She had not committed the act herself. Her sister and teammates said that they had not done so either. That left one other person whose statement she had not ever received, as the boy had disappeared sometime during the fight. Before the authorities had arrived. Before Ms. Goodwitch had come to her expecting answers about what had transpired. It was suspicious to say the very least.

She didn't know where the rest of her team was. Were they in separate rooms being questioned themselves? Or was it only her? She didn't know. Upon returning to Beacon they had been split up. Still, they had been given a chance to get their stories straight on the way back. And one thing she did not want to do was give her friend up. Not until she knew what happened. Not until she talked to him about it first.

The door opened, and Glynda stepped inside. As usual she looked as if she had never experienced the emotion of joy in her life. Tonight it was actually understandable. Four of her students had been present at a crime scene. The site of untold property damage. The site of a murder.

Setting a file folder down on the table, the woman took a seat across from Ruby and folded her hands. "Ms. Rose."

Ruby nodded nervously. "Hi," she said meekly.

"I've gone through the statement you issued to police while still at the docks. Everything seems to check out. Your teammates have corroborated the story as well."

The girl breathed a sigh of relief. That was good. In reality she had not lied about anything in the report. She had just omitted the presence of one person.

"While it is indeed the duty of huntsmen and huntresses to protect the people of Remnant and battle against those who would cause them harm, it is not advisable to go running off looking for a fight." Glynda's voice was now closer to her normal stern tone. "Huntresses are not vigilantes, Ms. Rose. You should have informed Beacon about what was happening at the docks. We would have been more than happy to undertake such a task."

The truth of the statement stung a little. Yeah, she probably should have called Glynda or any of the other teachers at Beacon. But she didn't. That would have meant getting them involved with Blake and her secret. They would have found out that her friend and teammate was a former White Fang member. It could have spelled the end of Team RWBY. It was a risk the girl had not been willing to take.

"And now because you did not do so, Roman Torchwick and his compatriots have escaped. A portion of the dust they sought to steal is gone too. Another good portion of it was destroyed. A lot of lien was lost, and a lot more will go towards repairing the section of the docks that you turned into a battlefield."

Those words stung a little more. While in the end she had gotten Blake back, and their team was beginning to work towards some semblance of understanding about both her and Weiss' pasts, they had still lost. Roman had gotten away. She had essentially failed in her mission.

The woman removed her glasses, cleaning them with a small cloth she had produced from her pocket. With a sigh she put them back on, and her eyes returned to the papers on the table before her. "The only outstanding issue is that of the body," she continued. "Preliminary reports say that the man was fatally wounded when a straight bladed weapon penetrated his abdomen. While this rules out yourself and Ms. Xiao Long due to the nature of your weapons, it does not exonerate two of your teammates who do use such weapons."

The statement set off warnings in Ruby's mind. No. Blake and Weiss were both innocent. She had been with them the whole time. Neither of them had been in the area where the body was found. None of their blades had any blood on them either.

"Ms. Goodwitch," she finally said. "I know Blake and Weiss didn't do it. Did you check their weapons at all?"

"I did," the woman confirmed. "While no traces of blood were found on their blades, they still are people of interest. Unless you know of someone else who may have committed the act."

Ruby swallowed hard. She did know of someone else. Someone who carried a long, straight sword. Someone who had been there that night. Someone who had vanished without a word sometime in the middle of the fight.

Someone she could not possibly imagine having committed such an act.

No. She couldn't believe it. Not without hearing his side of the story first. Ruby would give Jaune the benefit of the doubt, just as she had given Blake the benefit of the doubt. In the end it turned out that Blake had left the terrorist organization and was seeking to make amends for her previous choices. She was certain that Jaune would have an explanation first.

However Glynda might not see it that way. Ruby would not give up her friend so easily.

"I don't know," she lied. It was a dirty feeling, but she did so unapologetically. "W-what about the other White Fang guys? Some of them had swords right?"

"They did. I have to believe that the police forensic teams are taking that into account as well as they continue their investigation."

That was good. That would buy her some time until she could talk to Jaune.

"Ms. Rose," Glynda said, causing Ruby to look back up in the teacher's eyes. "What happened at the docks was a battle between those trying to inflict harm upon Vale, and those seeking to protect it. I am certain that Beacon will shoulder the blame for the incident, and defend those responsible for the death of a terrorist. No jury in the world would condemn a huntress for the death of an enemy combatant in defense of the public."

That was good. Glynda understood. She was certain that the entirety of Beacon's staff would understand too. What happened there had been nobody's fault. It was regrettable for certain, but it had just been a part of protecting the people of the city.

"You are not in trouble for the death of that man. No one on your team is. We are simply trying to get to the bottom of it. We are merely seeking out the truth."

Again, the words were comforting. Ruby was happy to know that her good intentions would be looked upon as such.

"And while it is admirable to protect one's friends, doing so at the expense of the law and the justice system is not befitting of a huntress. With that being said, are you sure there is nothing more you wish to say about what transpired tonight?"

Ruby's brief peace of mind was shattered. Glynda knew she was hiding something. Maybe the woman didn't know exactly what, but she suspected something. She was giving Ruby a chance to come clean right now. To tell the whole truth. To betray her friend. To tell her about Jaune.

She didn't bite.

"Nope," she said softly. "I said everything I know already."

Glynda sighed softly. There was a look of disappointment on her face. It hurt Ruby to see such a reaction, but she felt as though she did the right thing. She hadn't told anyone about Blake in order to protect her. She would do the same for Jaune.

"Very well," the woman said. "You're dismissed."

With a nod Ruby stood from her seat and quickly walked to the door. She didn't want to be alone with Glynda any more tonight.

On her way back to her team's dorm she thought about her decision. She thought about Jaune. She had done the right thing. That boy had gone through enough hardships already with getting kicked out of Beacon. Then he had started to work for a nightclub which seemed to employ criminals.

Her thoughts went back to all his weird questions. Questions about hurting people. About killing people. Hypothetical situations about what to do if you encountered a situation where there were bad people who might need to be killed. Was this what he had been talking about?

Ruby was happy when she reached her room. She didn't want to think about that right now. Right now all she wanted was to talk to her teammates and make sure everyone was doing okay. She wanted to try and continue to mend the rift between Weiss and Blake. Everyone needed to be on the same page again. That way they could all move towards solving the new problems which had sprung up in their lives. They would solve them together.

Three faces peered over to her when she opened the door. Yang was on her feet in an instant and moved over to pull Ruby into a hug. "They weren't too hard on you, were they?"

Had they been hard on anyone? Despite her initial fears it hadn't felt like an interrogation. It was simply one of her teachers asking a few questions. Necessary ones, really. However they were not ones she could give full answers to.

"No, not at all," she admitted. She looked over to the rest of her team. "Why? Who questioned you guys?

"Ms. Goodwitch," Weiss answered.

"Glynda," Blake agreed.

"Mmhmm," Yang confirmed.

So she had spoken to all four of them. The woman certainly did not slack in her duties. Ruby was simply glad that she seemed to get the same story out of all of them. Not that they had anything truly bad to hide. She just didn't want to shine a spotlight on Jaune that he didn't need in his life.

"I think that she knew I was keeping something from her though," the redhead said. "She seemed... I don't know. Disappointed when she asked if I had anything else I wanted to tell. You guys didn't mention Jaune, right?"

The mood in the room seemed to change at the mention of his name. At least with two of the other girls. Weiss had appeared to not mind the boy while they talked on the way to the docks. The fact that they both shared a hatred for the White Fang formed at the very least a mutual understanding between the two. Perhaps that was why her demeanor had not shifted.

Blake and Yang on the other hand looked conflicted. With Blake it was obvious as to why. Jaune had been a participant in attacking White Fang hideouts. He had dealt with their kind before and did indeed hate them. Blake could also assume that he hated her as a result. She might also hate him for his actions against her former comrades, and her species in general.

Then there was Yang. The girl who had the most history with the club he now worked at. While she had come to admit that the two girls she had tangled with once before might not be simple criminals, it did not mean she had to like them. She didn't have to like what they did. She didn't have to like what Jaune was doing with his life now.

For those reasons it was a relief that Ruby got the responses that she did.

"No," Yang confirmed. "I don't know what happened there, but... for his sake and yours I don't want to rat him out." She shrugged. "Not before he can explain himself."

Blake nodded. Her response may have been nonverbal, but she got the point across. She was probably the last person who would want to betray one's secret. Especially if there was no proof he had done anything wrong. Blake's faunus nature had probably gotten her a fair amount of false accusations for criminal activity in the past. Even before her time in the White Fang.

That left Weiss. The girl who had gotten along the most with Jaune. Ruby was confident that she had followed the plan as well.

So why wasn't she saying anything?

"Weiss?" Ruby questioned.

Her partner looked at her in the eyes. "Yes?"

"You, uh, you didn't tell Ms. Goodwitch about Jaune, did you?"

"I did."

Ruby felt her heart sink. That hadn't been the plan at all. Why? Why would Weiss do that to someone she had seemingly had no issues with?

"What? Why?"

"You snitched on him?" Yang added. "That's cold, even for you."

Weiss' eyes narrowed on the blonde girl before turning her attention back to Ruby. "It's true that I have no dislike for that boy," she explained. "However I also do not owe him anything. I am not about to risk my future here at Beacon, my future career in general, by lying to the authorities about the actions of a person I had only known for an hour. So, yes. I informed Ms. Goodwitch that Jaune was with us, and that he disappeared sometime in the fight."

It wasn't evidence against Jaune. It proved nothing. Only that he was there. With Glynda knowing the boy's name and face, with her potentially having a role in his removal from Beacon Academy, Ruby did not know how the woman would take the news. She did not know what might come next.

"But... he's my friend."

"Yes. He's _your_ friend," the heiress agreed. Her features seemed to soften after those words. "And... you're my friends. I can't afford to get kicked out of Beacon, Ruby. I can't take that risk." She shook her head softly, as if answering to some unspoken comment in her mind. "Not if it means having to go back to Atlas..."

There was something about the way which Weiss had spoken those last words which sent chills down Ruby's spine. She didn't know why, but her partner seemed adamant on not going back to Atlas. To Weiss it appeared that telling the truth about Jaune hadn't been out of spite or fear, but rather self-preservation. Ruby couldn't condemn the girl's decision if that was the case. People usually did what they did for a reason. Weiss must have had hers.

So that must have been why Glynda had looked so disappointed. She knew that Ruby had lied to her face. It most likely wouldn't be a punishable offense. However the knowledge of Glynda knowing she had lied would be with her now. Ruby wondered how things might change between the two of them.

She wondered how things might change between herself and Jaune as well.

* * *

Jaune had been right about one thing. He couldn't sleep.

Sending Miltia away had been necessary. He didn't want to talk about what had happened anymore. Saying that he had wanted some sleep hadn't been a lie either. He had tried. He really did. It just wasn't happening though.

Every time he closed his eyes he saw it. He saw his arms thrust outward to impale his victim. He saw and heard the blood gurgling from the man's lips. And every time Jaune told himself that it had been necessary. That one of them had to die. He told himself he had made the right choice. Just as Miltia had agreed. However such reassurances still failed to make him feel any better about it.

That was why he had set out to the bar with a plan. If he could fall asleep he wouldn't have to feel this way. And if he couldn't fall asleep on his own he'd have to enlist a little bit of aid from what this place had in abundance. Junior wouldn't miss a little bit of the cheap stuff. He wasn't doing this for the taste or the pleasure of the experience. He wouldn't need much anyway. It wasn't like Jaune had much of a tolerance.

It was late in the night when he stepped out from the staircase and onto the main floor of the club. He wished he could have said that he was surprised when he saw the familiar form of a girl in white sitting alone at the bar. He was not, though. As he approached her he wondered if this was a nightly routine for Melanie.

Her attention turned to him when she heard his approach. There was no trace of pity in her emerald eyes, and for that Jaune was thankful. Hopefully Melanie wouldn't try the same routine that Miltia had done earlier. He didn't want the sympathy. He didn't want to be treated like he was made of glass. He just didn't want to think about it.

She didn't greet him verbally when he reached the bar, but the fact that she had visually acknowledged him was good enough. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.

Grabbing a glass from behind the counter, Jaune slid it over to his prospective seat next to the girl. Thankfully she had already had a bottle out in front of her. If she had picked it then it was probably something strong. Something that wouldn't take long to accomplish the goal he had in mind.

After taking his seat he poured some of the liquid into his glass and looked down at it. Taking a deep breath, he downed the burning drink in one go. It took all of his willpower not to cough and gag on the potent stuff.

He poured another glass, and this time prompted words from the girl next to him. "You read my mind, little huntsman," she commented. "Shit. I thought only Miltia could do that."

Jaune didn't know if that was supposed to be some sort of commentary on how close the two sisters were. In the end he just chalked it up to another one of Melanie's nonsensical drunken comments, and grunted a noncommittal response.

Melanie snorted, and smiled as she looked down at her glass. "Spending way too much time around Hei."

He remembered the last time the girl had used Junior's real name. Did that mean she was drunk again? Or did she simply not care about that little secret anymore?

"Who knows," he shrugged.

She hummed, taking a smooth sip from her drink. It was the same stuff as he had, yet she was able to sip from it as if it was water. The difference in their levels of experience despite their relatively same age was mind-blowing.

"Whatever. So you can't sleep either, huh?"

Jaune noted how she didn't sound drunk. At least she didn't sound how she had some of the other times he had sat with her at the bar. He also noted how she had phrased the question. She wasn't able to sleep either. Was she thinking about what had happened tonight as well? Or something entirely different?

Either way, it didn't matter. He hadn't come here to talk. "Melanie, I just want to be left alone."

A sly smirk still played on her lips as she stared down into her glass. "Bullshit. No one comes to a bar and drinks if they wanna be left alone." She motioned over to him with her head. "And you wouldn't have sat right next to me either."

He would have raised the point that she would have simply gotten up from her own seat to sit next to him had he chosen any other place. She always did. However he hadn't been lying with what he said. He didn't feel like talking.

The prolonged silence and lack of a response made the girl scoff before finishing her drink. She spoke once more as she poured herself a refill. "What is it? You wanna be left alone so you can wallow in self pity? You think that'll make you feel better?"

Jaune felt his jaw clench. While he hadn't wanted anybody's pity, this was the opposite end of the spectrum. Was she purposely trying to piss him off? Or was her lack of empathy and interpersonal skills just a part of who she was?

"Shut up," he whispered.

"Or what?" she asked him. Those sharp green eyes finally focused on him. Indeed there was no sympathy in them like there had been in her twin's. "You gonna kill me too?"

His heart skipped a beat and his eyes widened. In an instant he looked away and back down to his drink. His finger played with the glass before bringing it back up to his lips and sipping.

He heard some sort of satisfied grunt over from Melanie as she looked back down at the counter. "Yeah, I see it now. You're just like me, aren't you? Drinking to forget the shit you've been through. Just like old times, isn't it?"

Jaune assumed she was referring to the night he had returned to the club after getting kicked out of Beacon. It was the words from that night which had inspired him to come down to the bar in the first place. Drinking could make you forget. It could make all the pain go away.

So what pain was Melanie going through?

The girl smiled before taking another sip from her fresh glass. "This world is a really shitty place, ya know that?" With a free hand she toyed with her hair, pushing it behind her ear. "Fucking Grimm everywhere. Bunch of terrorists out there trying to kill you. I mean, you'd think the Grimm would make everyone wanna work together or whatever, right?"

She wasn't wrong. The words were surprisingly deep coming from Melanie Malachite of all people. Did she become wiser when given alcohol? Or was this part of her always hidden inside the girl? Or maybe the words weren't wise at all. Maybe they were a simple harsh truth that she knew from experience.

"But no. People are fucking stupid," she continued. "That's why I don't feel sorry for that stupid animal you killed tonight. Fuck him. Fuck people. They're always gonna try and take what's yours. And that's why you gotta look out for yourself."

The words certainly explained why Melanie was the way she was. Her outlook on life was one of greed. Only now he knew it wasn't for entirely selfish reasons. She didn't do what she wanted and take what she wanted on a whim. Judging from what she had just said, it was out of a need for survival. Take what you need to live. Look out for yourself first. Everyone else will try to do it to you.

"And that includes killing, if you have to," she finished.

The words were chilling. In his earlier conversation with Miltia she had all but admitted to never having killed anyone. He found such a reassurance to be comforting. With Melanie however, had she taken a life? Her personal philosophy certainly made it sound like she would not have a problem with it under the right circumstances. After all, the night he first met her she looked like she was ready to murder him if he had turned out to be an enemy.

He had to know. If nothing else maybe she could offer a perspective on the act. "Have you ever killed someone?" he asked.

The girl shrugged. "I dunno. Not that I know of. I've kicked a lot of ass over the years." The statement was quite literal considering her fighting style. "Who knows what happened to a guy after I left him broken and bleeding on the floor? But you know what? All I was doing was fighting for what was mine. Fighting to keep me and my sister safe."

Jaune hummed. "I see."

"Yeah. Shit happens, Jaune. It just does. Like I said before, life sucks. It sucks and then you die. Whether it's Grimm, some fuckwad terrorist, or whatever, you die. Which is why you gotta enjoy life as much as you can before you do."

The polar opposite approach from how Miltia had treated him was interesting to say the least. Rather than trying to justify his actions with self-defense, Melanie was simply saying that people died all the time. The world was a bad place filled with bad people. If they tried to take from you, be it your property, your livelihood, or your life, then killing them was sometimes the only option. It was better them than you.

Melanie held up her glass as she spoke next. "And what better way to do that than some expensive fucking liquor?" she said before downing the last of her drink.

Jaune did the same. He may not have been getting the same pleasure out of it that she was, but it would help him forget. That in itself would allow him to feel better. At least for tonight.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Special thanks go out to **Spiritwaker95** for helping me make this chapter better than it would have otherwise been.

Apologies for time between chapters. I wanted to get Letters to Winter finished, and so focused all of my attention on that. Oh, and the glory that is Bleiss Schnee. Who's Bleiss, you might ask? You may just find out someday.

Also, an author by the name of **lightningstrxu** has decided to do something really cool and wrote a short story based on this one. It's called **"Take a Walk on the Mild Side"** , and will focus on some more relaxed and fluffy moments between Jaune and the twins. Go check it out on his author page, as well as the other RWBY stories he has written.

As always I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Questions, comments or concerns? Let me know what you thought.

Thanks for reading.


	18. Chapter 18

Another night. Another dream. But always that one.

In the days following the incident at the docks, Jaune had not slept well. There were times he simply lay in bed unable to sleep, his mind thinking back to what he had done. What it meant about him as a person. What his future held for him.

Then there was when he actually was able to fall asleep. Perhaps it was because his waking mind was so consumed with the guilt of what he had done that he dreamt about it as well. He dreamt about himself thinking about it. There was no escape. Neither awake nor asleep, it was always on his mind. The alcohol at least offered some semblance of refuge. He didn't dream much after spending time at the bar with Melanie. She had been right on that account. It could make him forget for a little while. Perhaps he would have to start doing it more often.

The lack of sleep made him tired that night. In the distance ahead he saw as patrons moved and swayed to the music playing in the room. All around him the idle chatter of patrons filled his ears. Those directly around him either nursed their drinks in silent contemplation, or downed them in one go depending on what they were. In any case, it was up to him to keep them happy.

It was his night to tend bar again. Truth be told he would have much rather just stood watch as a bouncer tonight. He didn't feel like talking to anyone. He didn't feel like interacting with others. People were stupid. Selfish. Rude. Inconsiderate. They got even worse when they were drunk. He was beginning to hate people just as a whole.

Was this place and the experience of working with people rubbing off on him? Or maybe it was simply Melanie's influence. Either way, he was annoyed when one of the nearby customers called for another drink. As if the dumb fool hadn't already knocked back five or so shots already.

Knowing what the man had been ordering before, Jaune retrieved the familiar bottle and another glass and poured a clear liquid inside. After passing it off to the person he had expected some sort of thanks. Or at least acknowledgment. He received none. The man simply turned to his friends and resumed whatever inane conversation that he had been having before.

Oh well. It didn't matter. So long as the man tipped him then it didn't matter to the boy. He could waste all the lien he wanted at Junior's club on overpriced drinks. At the end of the night the house would win. The house always won.

Another voice called over for his attention. Perhaps a return customer, as she knew his name.

As he turned to greet the new arrival, his heart skipped a beat as he saw who it was across the counter from him. It was a face he had not seen in months. One which he had never expected to see again.

Starting at him were the stern green eyes of none other than Glynda Goodwitch.

Why was she here? What kind of a cruel coincidence was this? Jaune had never seen her here at the club before. Judging by her demeanor she did not seem like the type to go out drinking and having fun. Then again maybe there was another side to her he did not know. The twins had their other sides. Junior had his. Jaune had his own.

All trace of professionalism and confidence disappeared from his voice as he greeted the woman. "Hello."

He didn't really know what to say. Or how to feel. The woman responsible for kicking him out of Beacon Academy was now his customer. He hoped that she would not bring up any of that past unpleasantness. He hoped that she would simply order a drink, and then he would be able to be on his way.

"Mr. Arc," she repeated. "I see you're certainly doing... well for yourself. You've managed to land on your feet since departing Beacon Academy."

Departing. Was that the word she was going to use? Jaune supposed it sounded better than her saying that she had kicked him out. Or forcibly removed him. Or discovered that he was a lying fraud and that he was lucky that he had not been reprimanded more than he had.

He shrugged nervously. "Yeah, well. It's a job, right? Gotta do something with my life."

Never mind the fact that it was a far cry from living out his dream. A dream which she had prevented him from achieving. It was still better than going home. Better than admitting to being the liar that he was.

"Indeed it is," she agreed. "Though I will admit, I never imagined you as the bartender type."

Jaune wouldn't have thought he was either. He would be correct in that assessment too. "I'm a bouncer too," he clarified. "Sometimes a cook. The bartending thing is only once or twice a week."

"I see. Cooking doesn't seem to be the job I would imagine you taking either. After all, you aspired to be a huntsman at one point in your life. Now, a bouncer on the other hand does seem more up your alley."

He wondered where she was going with this. Was it simply because being a bouncer was more often than not a physical job? Did she correctly assume that he would be able to put his superior physical prowess to good use over an average civilian?

"However," she continued. "A bouncer at a club like this, I would not have expected from someone of your upbringing."

Those words stung. The Arc family was a proud one with a lineage stretching back beyond the Great War. Many of his ancestors were huntsmen. Many were heroes. They were the ones who had inspired him to tread the path that he had. For him to be working here, amongst criminals, amongst pretty thieves, amongst thugs, was most unbecoming of the legacy.

Still. He would play dumb to her accusation. "I don't know what you mean."

Whether or not she accepted that answer he did not know. She pressed on with the conversation regardless. "I seem to recall you using one of your family heirlooms as a weapon when trying out for Beacon Academy. Am I correct?"

"Yeah. Why?"

Glynda's eyes were unwavering as she stared into his own. "A long, straight sword if I recall?"

The look and her words were making him uncomfortable. In his very short stay at Beacon he had gotten that vibe from her. Is this what her students had to deal with on a daily basis? If so then maybe he was lucky that he did not have to attend any class taught by her.

"Yeah," he confirmed.

The woman hummed to herself. "Tell me, Mr. Arc. The night you accompanied Team RWBY to the docks, did you use that sword against the White Fang?"

Jaune's eyes widened, and a cold chill ran down his body. No. There was no way. How did she know?

His mind immediately went to Ruby, but the thought was quickly squashed. She might have said something about him being there, but there was no way she would ever point her finger at him in regards to the dead man who was left on the battlefield. Could it have been one of her teammates? What had they said? And if he was being accused of any wrongdoing, where were the police?

He couldn't think of any sort of answer or explanation. He would give her no admission of any kind. "W-what?" he replied.

Glynda's hands folded neatly on the counter in front of her. "The docks, Mr. Arc. And the White Fang. When you were there with my students, did you have your sword with you?"

He didn't know what to say. Clearly she knew that he was there. Clearly she was asking this question for a reason. She suspected him of killing that terrorist. She suspected correctly. Maybe he should just turn himself in. Maybe that would alleviate some of the guilt he felt.

However before he could say any more a third voice entered the conversation. "What'll you have?"

Jaune turned to see the large form of Junior standing beside him. The menacing man wore an utterly expressionless mask on his face as he stared down at the seated woman in front of him.

"Hei," the woman said evenly. "It's been a while."

"It has, Glynda."

Jaune looked at her, and then back up at Junior. "You two know each other?"

Junior grunted. "We've crossed paths. Back in the day."

"Back before you were a bottom feeding criminal," she said casually. "Before you started plucking children off the street to raise as your enforcers." She looked back over at Jaune. "A trend which you are apparently continuing to this day."

The blonde boy felt Junior tense next to him. While there was very little outward expression, those words had clearly angered the man. However in a room full of paying customers he was not about to start any kind of altercation, be it verbal or physical.

"So what'll you have?" he asked again.

"I believe I was in the middle of a conversation with _Mr. Arc_ ," she said sharply.

"Mr. Arc is on the clock right now. He doesn't have time to socialize."

A short, sardonic laugh slipped through her lips. "My oh my, is your service slipping, Hei? I thought it was customary for bartenders to talk to their patrons."

Jaune was pushed back and to the side a little bit as Junior seemed to step in front of him slightly. "That's what I'm here for, Glynda. Now what can I get for you tonight?"

The woman's regular seriousness returned to her. "I would prefer to be served by Mr. Arc," she said evenly.

"You'll have to get in line then. Competition'll be fierce too."

Glynda peered around the giant of a man who was obscuring her view so she could look at her target. "Mr. Arc, if you would just-"

"Kid's busy. What'll it be?"

Her focus returned on the man who interrupted her. "What are you hiding, Hei? Why are you protecting him?"

"Our Mistrali Gold is a personal favorite," he said offhandedly. "I recommend it."

"You do know I will get to the bottom of this, right?"

Junior ignored the question. "Vacuan Desert Rose is a popular choice as well."

"And if it turns out that you are knowingly hiding something, do not think for a moment that even you will be immune to the repercussions of the law. Obstruction of justice is a serious criminal offense."

Jaune's heart was thumping in his chest. There was a battle of words as well as wills going on right in front of him by two who were vastly more experienced in life than he was. Glynda was after him. She had her sights set on him, and was determined to know exactly what had happened that night at the docks. He couldn't help but fear that it was only a matter of time until he felt the consequences of his actions.

Junior meanwhile was doing everything in his power to protect him. Everything short of tossing Glynda out of the club. It was probably for the best as well, since Jaune doubted that even the combined strength of the twins, Junior and himself would not be able to defeat a powerful and experienced huntress like Glynda Goodwitch. If they hadn't been able to stop Yang, what hope did they have against one of Beacon Academy's best?

"Tears of Mist is a hit among the young crowd," Junior continued. "But then again maybe it'll be a little too strong for someone of your age."

"Hei," she hissed. "If you don't cooperate then I can assure you that only bad things will result from this."

The man grunted once more, and was apparently done trying to derail her intended conversation. "You a police officer now, Glynda?"

"No. Unlike you I have a respectable job as the Deputy Headmistress of Beacon Academy."

"That so? Huntresses aren't exactly the law of the land, you know."

"No," she agreed. "However I am currently working with the Vale Police Department to get to the bottom of a murder which took place on the night that Mr. Arc was at the docks with students from my school."

He motioned with his head over to Jaune. "They got a warrant out for Mr. Arc here?"

Jaune felt another chill in his body. If they did then it would be all over for him. They'd find his clothes. They'd find his weapon. That would be all they'd need to prove it was he who had committed the act.

"No. The word of one of my students alone is not enough to qualify as probable cause." There was a bitterness in her voice which made her displeasure for that fact apparent to everyone. "Therefore I had hoped that if Mr. Arc was the decent human being that I thought he was that he would cooperate. Perhaps I was wrong though. Perhaps you've already poisoned his mind, just as I'm sure your drinks have poisoned his body."

She certainly knew how to hurt with her words. In one fell swoop she had attacked both Junior an Jaune in very personal ways. The earlier implication about Junior plucking Melanie and Miltia off the streets was not lost upon Jaune either. This woman clearly had little love for Junior and what he did. She was apparently starting to have the same opinion about Jaune as well.

To his credit, however, Junior kept his cool. He always seemed to be able to do that. "You gonna order anything or not? I've got customers who'd love a spot at the bar."

The woman stared at Junior for long, tense seconds. Her gaze shifted back over to Jaune as she spoke. "Do not think we are finished here, Mr. Arc. And do not take this as an idle threat from a teacher to a student, but I _can_ call your parents. I'm sure they would be most interested in what you've been up to these past few months."

Without waiting for his response Glynda stood and walked off.

Jaune let loose a breath he hadn't known he had been holding in. His hand reached out to the counter to support himself. A few moments later he felt a hand on his back, and turned to see that Junior was looking at him.

"Go on break," he said about as gently as his gruff voice could manage. "A long one. In one of the private rooms."

Jaune nodded. He didn't know what Junior's intent was with such a specific request, but he was not about to question it. After that his mind was frazzled. He didn't know if he would be able to focus on work anymore this night.

Grabbing the nearest bottle within reach, Jaune stepped out from behind the counter and off to the second floor where the club's private party rooms were located.

* * *

Fine leather chairs and couches dotted the perimeter of the room, while a few black glass tables sat in front of them. The place was spacious. Comfortable. Designed to host small parties of individuals in luxury. Yet here Jaune was all by himself in an empty room. It only reminded him of how lonely he felt inside right now. How isolated he felt from everyone else despite how much they had reached out to him. Or at least how much the twins had.

Miltia had been the most forthright in her efforts. She made no secrets about extending a hand out to aid him should he want it. He had yet to take her up on that offer, however. What more could she possibly say that she hadn't already?

Then there was Melanie. She had given him a hard time a few nights ago, in an oh so Melanie kind of way. He really should not have been surprised by her straightforward demeanor. It was one of the many things which made her different from her identical twin. She had even let slip that she was just like him; drinking in order to deal with the past. What that past was he still did not know. However in retrospect Jaune felt a hint of warmth from the fact that she had chosen to even share that vague little bit of knowledge with him. Perhaps that was a way of trying to comfort him in her own unique style.

However neither were here right now. Junior had deemed it a good idea to send him on a break, and he was happy to take it. He was sure that the man would have little issue with him drinking on the job too, given not only the nature of their jobs, but dealing with Melanie on a nightly basis.

Grabbing one of the neatly displayed glasses from the closest table, Jaune poured himself a drink from the bottle he had smuggled in with him and drank it. He would be lying if he said that he enjoyed the taste or the sensation in his mouth, but they were becoming easier to tolerate.

As he poured himself a refill Jaune heard the door open. His head snapped up, and to his relief he saw that it was Junior who stepped inside. Jaune could only assume that he too was taking a break of sorts, and that he had put a couple of his men on bar duty in order to cover them for the short term. He would be happy if Junior simply told him to take the rest of the night off. However he wouldn't count on it.

After the door shut Jaune heard a low growl from the back of the man's throat. Another look up at him saw Junior looking down indifferently at the bottle on the table. "You know what you're doing isn't healthy."

Jaune knew. He also didn't really care. "Yeah. What else should I do?"

Junior shrugged. "Beat's me."

He had gotten his hopes up for a fraction of a second. Hoping against hope that the older and experienced man would have some sort of magical solution to help him out. Alas, it was not meant to be. And considering that Junior had also not explicitly told Jaune to stop doing what he was doing, the boy figured that he should keep on doing it anyway.

"How're ya holding up?"

Jaune really hoped this wouldn't turn into another impromptu therapist session. He didn't want more pity. He didn't want more trying to convince him he had done the right thing. He didn't know what he wanted.

"Same as before," he answered evenly.

A grunt answered back. Now Jaune knew what Melanie meant when she said he had been spending too much time around the man. However Junior soon followed up with words. "I was talking about what just happened with Glynda Goodwitch."

That was a whole other can of worms. She knew. She knew that he had done. The only question was why she had left so easily if she did.

The woman had only left because of Junior's intervention. The man had quite literally put himself between her and Jaune. He had been there to answer the questions that Jaune would have no had the courage to respond to.

The blonde sighed as he looked down at the table before him. "Thanks, Junior. For what you did down there."

Another grunt. "Sure thing, kid."

"But... what are we going to do? She knows what happened."

"Knows," Junior repeated. "But can't prove shit. You don't have to worry about that. They've got nothing. That's why she was here trying to get a confession out of you."

Even if his assumption was true it did little to comfort Jaune. His main concern had never been about being caught. It had been the fact that he had done the deed to begin with. In a way having to face what he had done might actually be for the best.

"Yeah," he agreed. "But even if no one arrests me... maybe I should just turn myself in."

He had no idea if doing so would alleviate any of the guilt he felt inside. And maybe the authorities wouldn't even punish him. After all, the man he had killed was a terrorist. He had taken up arms with an extremist group and was in the act of committing a crime. The man had tried to kill Jaune himself. With the testimony of Ruby, Yang and the others, maybe he would be shown leniency.

If Junior was in support of the idea he certainly didn't show it. He didn't show opposition to it either as he asked a question. "Would that make you feel better about it all?"

Jaune shrugged this time. "I don't know."

"You know yourself better than I do. You gotta do what you gotta do."

The problem was he didn't know what he had to do. He also didn't want to bring down any unwanted attention upon Junior and the girls. They already ran a shady business. Getting the authorities involved with the man could lead to unexpected consequences. It wouldn't be fair to the people who had taken him in when he had nowhere else to go.

Then there was his parents. Again, even if he was never legally punished for this, Glynda could call his parents. She could tell them about where he was working. About what had happened at the docks. Even with no proof, she was a respected huntress. His own dad might even know her. He might believe her. And if the day ever came when Jaune himself was questioned about what he had done, he knew that he would not be able to hide the truth from his parents.

In any case Jaune simply decided to agree with the man's words. "Yeah."

A brief period of silence settled over the room, and Junior decided that it would be worth his while to take a seat himself. Taking one of the couches which sat across the table from Jaune, he occupied the space of two smaller men. At the same time he reached out and grabbed another of the empty glasses which sat on the table.

Jaune pushed the bottle over within the man's reach, and he took hold of it before spinning it to see its label. "A Mistrali spirit," he commented. "You've got good taste."

The boy shrugged again. He didn't really. He had simply grabbed the closest thing he could find.

"For all its posturing Mistral is only good at two things. Crime and liquor." Junior set the bottle down and looked down into the top of his halfway full glass. "And right here you're looking at the product of all that."

If that little bit of information which he just dropped was accurate then it explained a lot about Junior. "You're from Mistral?"

The man grunted an affirmation. "Went to Haven. Doesn't seem like it was that long ago, to be honest. But it's been a good fifteen years since then. Time passes by when you're having fun I guess."

If Jaune had to guess, then Junior had indeed been having fun. Or at least what the man would consider fun. Running a top end nightclub. Being a boss in the criminal underworld. Being able to obtain every conceivable luxury with ease. And who knows how many women the man had been able to attract in that time thanks to all of that power, wealth and influence?

"I wouldn't know," Jaune grumbled. And he didn't. He had never had the opportunity to go to a huntsman academy. He had never sat on top of the world, even if that world was the underground one.

"No. I guess not," Junior agreed. Another period of silence washed over them as they sat there with their drinks. It didn't last long though, as Junior felt it necessary to continue the conversation. "You once asked what it was like to be a huntsman. And why I wasn't one anymore. Ring any bells?"

It took a moment for Jaune to recall the memory, but he did. Back when he was still pursuing his own dream of becoming a huntsman, he had met with Junior in order to discuss his forged transcripts. Jaune had been excited to find out that Junior had once been a huntsman. He had wanted to know all he could about it, since the only other one Jaune had ever met had been his own father. While his father was a skilled and experienced huntsman, he was still his father first, and a huntsman second. To be able to see one from a completely unbiased point of view had been a wish that was shot down almost as soon as he had asked about it.

"Yeah. You also said something about not wanting to answer those questions back then."

"That's right. Back then was all business. Nothing personal." Junior refilled his own drink, and took a small sip before going on. "Now's the time we can talk about the personal shit, if you're still interested."

He was interested. He would always be interested. Despite having his dream crushed, Jaune still thought that huntsmen and huntresses were very cool. Maybe not in the same hyperactive and excited way that Ruby was about it, but he loved the idea of them. He loved their weapons. Their clothing. Their duty. Their heroism. There was a reason he had aspired to be one. All of those things and many more contributed to his desire.

Jaune nodded, setting his drink down on the table as if to show the man that he had his full attention. "Yeah. I'd like that."

Junior hummed, and took another sip before he spoke. "You ever hear of Mountain Glenn?"

"Yeah. Who hasn't?"

"What do you know about it?"

Jaune frowned. He hadn't been expecting a test. Reaching back into his brain, he tried his best to recall what he had learned about both the place and the event back in school. "It was, uh, a settlement outside the city. Right?"

The man nodded. "Right so far. What else?"

Okay. The easy part was over. Now to dig into the details of what had happened all those years ago. "Something about a Grimm attack," he recalled. "A big one, and they had to evacuate. And after that there hasn't really been another try at settling outside the walls of Vale."

"That's the bare bones of it," Junior commented. "But then again I wouldn't exactly expect them to teach you what really happened at school."

What really happened? What more was there to it than that? Grimm attacks happened all the time. Mountain Glenn just so happened to suffer from one, was overrun, and as a result was blocked off from the rest of Vale. It was simple. Wasn't it?

Obviously not, if Junior was to be believed. "So what really happened then?"

The man had seemed willing to share only moments ago, but now there seemed to be a bit of hesitation on his part. Junior stared down into his glass for a long time before he spoke. "I was a huntsman then. Had a few years under my belt after graduating Haven. I'd done my fair share of shit, both good and bad." He paused momentarily as a soft breath slipped through his nostrils. "What they don't tell you about huntsmen is that when you're not off on a mission the kingdoms give you, you're basically just a gun for hire. And let me tell you, there's all kinds of people out there with the lien to afford that gun."

It was certainly a shade of grey that Jaune's father had never talked about before. Or that he had ever heard from anywhere, really. The news, the books, all the stories in general painted a picture of huntsmen and huntresses being the valiant defenders of Remnant. The thin line that stood between civilization and the Grimm. Humanity's last, best hope of survival in a cruel and unforgiving world.

Maybe Junior was an exception to that rule. If he wasn't, however, it painted them as little more than mercenaries willing to work for the highest bidder when the kingdoms didn't get involved in their actions.

Jaune sat in silence while Junior took another sip of his drink. With no questions or comments, the man took it as a cue to continue. "I'm not a history teacher so I won't bore you with all the details, but Mountain Glenn couldn't stand on its own. Vale had to replace and repair its defenses all the time. Had to keep calling in more and more huntsman to get things under control. The place was doomed from the start, but no one wanted to admit they'd fucked up. But pretty soon even the people knew it themselves, so they all went underground. Thought that they'd be able to hide from the Grimm in the tunnels that connected the place to Vale."

It was a creative, if not grim solution to the problem. Still, it begged a question from the boy as he listened to the story. "Why didn't they just go back to Vale?"

Junior shrugged. "Who knows. Maybe it was pride. Not wanting to give up their homes and all that shit. Maybe they didn't want to admit defeat. Maybe they thought that human will could triumph over the darkness, or some shit like that. But in the end they set up shop in the tunnels themselves. And it worked for a little while."

Jaune knew there was something else coming with the way Junior had ended that explanation. He did not have to wait long to hear how it all ended. "An explosion blew a hole in the tunnels. The people had been safe for a while, but now with this new entrance the Grimm just poured in. There was no stopping them. All that was left now was to get out of there."

The man took another, longer drink this time before continuing. "I was there. I was one of the few huntsmen there who was trying to keep shit under control. I was trying to keep the Grimm back while the people evacuated. But there was no control. Thousands of people underground, the only way out being a few trains running back and forth between there and Vale. There was panic. Chaos. Civilized people became little better than the Grimm themselves. I saw people turn on each other trying to escape. Killing each other trying to get on board the trains. There was no law anymore. No order. None of that shit. That's when I got the order. I couldn't fucking believe it when I looked down on my scroll and saw it."

Jaune was enthralled by the story. He had never heard such details before about Mountain Glenn. About people becoming savages in their efforts to survive. To him it made sense. He himself had become a savage in the times he had fought the White Fang. He had slammed his fists against his opponent's faces until they were ruined red masks. He had slashed and stabbed at his foes with anger and fury. He had even killed a man in his desperate bid for survival. He understood all too well the feral savagery that came out when a person was faced with death. He could not blame those in Mountain Glenn for becoming monsters.

Just like he had.

"What was the order?" Jaune asked.

Junior brought a hand up to scratch his beard. "It was an order from the kingdom itself to all huntsmen in the area. The order to leave. Abandon Mountain Glenn."

Jaune blinked in disbelief. "What?"

"Yeah. I thought the same thing. There were still thousands of people down in those tunnels. All trying their best to make it back to Vale. The only thing standing between them and an army of Grimm were the few huntsmen still down there. And once they had given the order to pull out, I didn't have to be a genius to figure out what they were going to do next."

He felt as he were asking a lot of needless questions, as Junior would have told him anyway, but Jaune still felt the urge to speak. "What do you mean?"

"The tunnels were compromised. And they led all the way back to Vale. The council wasn't about to let the Grimm reach the city. They were going to do the only practical thing they could do. Seal off the tunnels before the Grimm could get there."

Jaune had known that the tunnels had been sealed. He had known that the settlement had been cut off from Vale in order to keep the Grimm out. However he had not known that it had been at the expense of thousands of citizens awaiting evacuation. It was a cruel revelation. One that could not have been easy for any huntsman to follow.

However Junior must have, for the man was sitting right here in front of him. "So you left," Jaune surmised.

"I did. But not before I stumbled upon a couple of crying little girls. Both clinging to each other for dear life, while everyone else around avoided them like a plague."

His heart skipped a beat. Two little girls. They could only be two very specific girls if Junior had felt the need to include them in his story. "Melanie and Miltia," he thought aloud.

Junior hummed a confirmation. "I didn't see anyone else around who cared about them. I asked where their parents were. It was the wrong question to ask, and they started to cry even more. Again, I didn't have to be a fucking genius to figure out what that meant."

Jaune didn't either. They were dead. Killed at some point in the tragedy of Mountain Glenn. Whether it was by the Grimm, or their fellow man, the Malachite sister's parents had died down there. And apparently, they would have died too if not for Junior happening to come across them.

"So what did you do?"

The man sighed. " Like I told you once, shit won't always be black and white. I knew that I was about to abandon a lot of people down there, and there was nothing I could do about it. But... there was something I could do for those girls. They were small and didn't take up much space. Wouldn't take up too much space on a train. So the next one that pulled up to the station, I made sure that they got on... even if that meant that someone else didn't get on that train so that they could. And I got on with them to make sure they'd stay there, and they'd stay safe."

The implication of Junior's actions down there was terrifying. _Even if it meant someone else hadn't been able to get on._ Did that mean that Junior had simply forced his way through the crowd in order to put the girls on the train? Certainly with his size and being a trained huntsman, no one would have been able to oppose him.

Or, was it the more chilling of the two options? Had Junior pulled someone off the train in order to make room for the girls and himself?

"We made it out," he continued. "Obviously. We were one of the last trains to make it back to Vale before the council blew the tunnels. I had to live with the consequences of leaving all those people down there. Of not telling them what their own kingdom planned on doing to them, because if I did I knew that me and those girls would never make it out. I felt like a coward. Like a selfish piece of shit. I had lived and they hadn't just because I had the privilege of knowing that I had to get out of there immediately, and they didn't. But as I stood there with two terrified and crying little girls, I didn't regret what I had done. Those two were alive because of me. Like I said before, I'd done a lot of shit in my life up to that point. But getting those two out, it made me feel something I hadn't felt in a long time. It made me feel like a hero."

He was. Jaune wanted nothing more than to reach out and pat the man on the back, or do something to express his admiration for him. However he knew that wasn't Junior's style. The fact that the man was opening up to this degree was amazing in and of itself.

Instead, he opted to simply confirm what Junior himself had said. "You are," he agreed. "They'd be dead right now if not for you." Jaune thought about the girls and his experiences with them. Melanie's harsh attitude. Her playful smirk. Miltia's demeanor toward him. The shy glances and smiles she sent his way. The one time she had threatened him with a butcher's knife for blackmailing her into helping him cook. None of it would have happened if not for Junior. "You are a hero, Junior."

"Maybe to them I am," he argued. "But I don't care about being a hero. Not anymore. Mountain Glenn made me realize a lot of shit about this world. You know what that is?"

"What?"

"The world's a shitty place, kid." Jaune had heard those words before. Melanie had spoken them only a few nights ago. Now he knew where she got them from. "The kingdoms aren't going to look out for you. The huntsmen aren't going to look out for you either. You have to look out for yourself and the people you care about, because no one else will. That means doing what you have to do, and not looking back on it with regret. I've seen the evil that people are capable of. Both the ones down there in the tunnels, and the ones sitting up high in Vale's council."

No. That wasn't right. Regardless of what had happened to Junior, people were still good at their core. "But you also saw the good we're capable of," Jaune argued. "Like I said, Melanie and Miltia would both be dead right now if it wasn't for you."

"That idealism is gonna get you killed someday."

"But it hasn't gotten you killed, now has it?"

Jaune thought that he had cornered Junior with his argument. He had been wrong. "Kid, do you have any idea the shit I've done in order to give those two girls the happiness they deserve? What do you think I do for a living? You think I deal in flowers and cookies to make all the lien I do?"

He hadn't thought of that. Truth be told Jaune did not like to think about what exactly Junior did in his business dealings across Vale. As far as Jaune was concerned, the man ran a popular and successful nightclub. He also hired out some of his men as mercenaries to the highest bidder.

"Information is one thing," Junior continued. "Weapons. Drugs. I may not be the one to pull the trigger. I'm not the one to stick the needle in someone's arm. But I deal with the shit. And you know what? I don't care, because I love those two girls like they're my own daughters. Like I said before, you do what you gotta do to look out for the ones you love. Because Vale isn't going to. The huntsmen aren't going to. They'd be happy to leave you to die in a tunnel. That's the truth about the world we live in."

At one point Jaune may have thought this was supposed to be a pep talk. However it had turned into anything but that. He wondered just what the point of this conversation was. "Why are you telling me all this?"

Junior shook his head softly. "I'm not gonna pretend I have all the answers. I can't say anything that'll make what you're feeling go away. But what I do know is this. My hands are more stained in blood than yours will ever be. Nothing'll ever change that. But finding something in life worth living for, worth protecting, makes it easier to deal with. If you can justify what you've done in your head, then maybe you will become that hero you've always wanted to be. You can't change the past. All you can do is keep moving forward."

The twins were Junior's reasons for living then. Jaune didn't know the details of the man's past other than Mountain Glenn. He didn't know what he had done as a huntsman prior to that. He didn't want to know, judging on how he spoke of the career. However the man seemed to be able to justify anything he had done then, and now, by saying that it was all for those girls. To be able to give them the lives they deserved. By saving their lives. By not sending them off to live in some sort of shelter or home for orphans. By being someone who would truly look out and care for them just as a real relative would.

"You've got family," Junior commented. "One that loves you. That's more than some people can say. Live for them if you can't think of anything else."

It was more than Melanie and Miltia had. Junior was right. Two parents and seven sisters was more than what a lot of people had. "Why'd you tell me about them? If they haven't done it already, I mean."

"Because for some reason those two have taken a liking to you. They've decided you're worth keeping around, either for genuine reasons or their own amusement. They trust you, and I wanted you to know where they're coming from in life. What they've been through and why they are the way they are." Junior stood, and his towering height only made his next words even more intimidating than they would have already been. "And if you ever hurt h- them, then I will hurt you. And nobody will find your body."

Junior turned and left the room before Jaune could even contemplate a response to those words. Jaune knew he would never hurt those girls in any way, but he still got the message loud and clear. Junior lived for those girls. He would go to any lengths in order to protect them. To keep them happy. To allow them to live a lavish life where they would never want for anything.

They were what kept that man going. The question was, what would keep Jaune going?

* * *

Another night. Another dream. Another drink.

As Miltia made her way down to the bar to calm herself, she could not help but feel disgusted at her actions. At her weakness. At her need to use alcohol in much the same way that Melanie did. Not to the same extent, however. She did not do this on a nightly basis. It wasn't a crutch. There were just certain nights where she needed to be able to calm down a little bit. Certain nights where the memories of her past were too much to deal with. Nights where she was woken by her nightmares an unable to fall back asleep.

It was medicine. Just like any sick person would take. She didn't abuse the medicine. She only took it when she needed it. Tonight just so happened to be one of those nights.

When she opened the door she half expected to see Melanie there. Or Junior. It wasn't uncommon to run into one or both of them on the nights she needed a drink. Who she did not expect to find, however, was the blonde boy who had become a regular part of their lives.

And she had not expected to find him there in such a typical Melanie fashion.

His glass sat mostly empty. As did the bottle that was in front of him. His back was hunched as he leaned over the bar's counter. He looked utterly miserable. She could relate. They all could. However she had never expected to see him of all people in such a state.

He didn't even hear the soft footsteps of her slippers hitting the floor as she approached him. Or if he did, he simply did not acknowledge her presence. Hopefully he would hear her voice. "Jaune?" she called out softly.

His head turned. That was good. At least he wasn't ignoring her. "Hey, Mil," he greeted wearily.

Was it tiredness? Or was he drunk? She couldn't tell right away. Sliding onto the stool next to him, Miltia looked upon him with quiet concern. "What are you doing up?"

One of his arms lifted lazily to gesture to the glass and bottle in front of him. "This," he answered as if it explained everything.

At this distance she could smell the alcohol on his breath. Drunk it was, then. The only question was why. "But, like... why are you doing..." she made the same motion as he did, pointing to his drink. "This."

A slight shrug of his shoulders was enough to show how far gone he was, as his body gently swayed on the stool. "I can't sleep," he said softly. Bitterly. "I can never fucking sleep."

His words sent a shiver running down Miltia's body. Not because of how they sounded, but because of their familiarity. He couldn't sleep. Neither could she. His mind had gone to the same place hers had. She didn't like it one bit.

The difference was that she didn't get herself drunk. At least she didn't normally intend to do so. Certain nights were worse than others. Sometimes all she needed was one or two drinks to calm her frayed nerves. Others she was gone because she even realized how much she had to drink. The last time with Junior had been one of the latter.

In an instant her own troubles seemed to melt away as she looked over at a boy who was all too quickly becoming a man. And not in a good way either. "You wanna talk about it?"

Jaune shook his head. "No. I just wanna forget. That's why I got this," he said as he picked up the glass. "Melanie said this could make me forget for one night. Or the rest of my life if that's what I wanted."

A sudden surge of anger filled Miltia's body. Damn that girl. One little throwaway line from the first night Jaune had stayed here at the club was coming back to bite him in the ass. He was taking Melanie's advice to heart. It was a dangerous idea. It was potentially life-ruining. She wouldn't allow that it happen. She had been too young back then to stop her sister from succumbing to alcoholism. She wouldn't allow the same to happen to Jaune.

"You don't have to do that," she insisted. "There are other ways to deal with... with what you've done."

She was a hypocrite. She knew it. Miltia herself had come down to ease her own pain with a little bit to drink. However it was always easier to teach others rather than follow your own advice. And she had more than enough experiences between herself and Melanie to know that in the end alcohol could not solve your problems.

"What's that? You got something that I could live for?" he asked.

Miltia frowned in confusion. "What?"

Jaune shook his head. "Nothing. Just..." He sighed, looking back down to the counter. "Not anymore at least. I know I blew my chance. Made all the wrong choices that night."

He was speaking nonsense. Was this the alcohol talking? Miltia had no idea what he was trying to say. She reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Jaune. You can tell me. If you want."

His head shook again. "You don't. You can't. After what I did? I'm a fucking monster. A murderer. Liar. Cheater. And I left you. You can't like me like that anymore. How could you?"

Another chill ran through her body. Like him. Surely he couldn't have meant... no. She had barely come to terms with her own feelings herself. He couldn't have possibly known she felt anything more for him than just friendship, right?

"What are you talking about? Who told you... this?"

"Melanie."

Of course. Of course it had been Melanie. Probably when she herself had been drunk one night. She wasn't exactly the best at keeping secrets. Especially when those secrets could be used to tease those around her. And who better to tease than her own sister and the boy she harbored a crush for?

Her stupid drunk sister had already put one stupid idea in his head. Now Miltia knew that the girl had put another one in there too. More anger build up inside of her. Embarrassment too. This hadn't exactly been the ideal way for her to broach the topic with Jaune.

A hand lashed out in anger, grabbing the glass from his own and tossing it away. It hit the floor and shattered several feet away. "I'm not gonna let you drown yourself in this shit like Melanie!"

His eyes lit up with surprise. Even worry. "Mil?"

"Shut up! Just... shut up."

Her anger was misplaced. The complex emotions that had been building up inside her had reached a boiling point. She wasn't angry at Jaune. She was angry at circumstance. She was angry at life. Jaune was hurting, and she herself felt partially to blame. There was nothing she could do to help him. She didn't know what to do at this point. But the fact that he viewed himself with such little respect, with such little regard to his own health or wellbeing, was heartbreaking.

He knew on some level that she had feelings for him, and he disregarded them. As far as she could tell it wasn't about any dislike for her as a person. It was dislike for himself. He had even said himself that he blew his chance. He viewed himself as a monster who wasn't worthy of such affection. So he cast it aside.

Miltia didn't know how to deal with it. Well, she did know one way, but she knew that it would only do her more harm than good. It would only vindicate Jaune's own actions tonight. It would only send them both spiraling downward even further.

So she left. Without saying another word she turned and retreated back up to her room. Right now she couldn't stand to be around that poor broken boy. Not when he reminded her so much of all the worst parts of herself.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** That chapter certainly didn't take long to get out. A whole four days since the last one. What can I say? I'm feeling inspired. Why? Oh, no reason in particular...

Anyway, I hope that you all enjoyed the latest chapter. As always I want to thank everyone for your continued support. Surpassed 1,000 follows with the last update. I keep saying this, but I never imagined that a story starring the Malachite twins would achieve this level of success. So thank you all for continuing to inspire me to work at it.

Questions, comments or concerns? Let me know. I'm always interested to hear your opinions.

Thanks for reading.


	19. Chapter 19

Last night had been difficult. She had seen her worst fears come to pass. She had seen the boy she had fallen for slowly begin to fade away.

Miltia was never truly a morning person. More so than her sister for sure, but she did not care for early mornings. Waking up before nine in the morning was ridiculous and a waste of time to her. The fact that it was now nearly ten o'clock, and she was as miserable as if she had been woken up hours earlier, was a testament to how she was feeling. She wanted to sleep more. She didn't want to have to deal with reality. She longed for the warm comfort of her bed.

However there was business to take care of. The previous night had revealed how Jaune was handling the fallout of his actions. It revealed why Jaune was doing what he was. It revealed who had steered him on this path, even if it had been unintentional. That meant that Miltia had to do something about it before it became even worse.

Even the promise of donuts and lattes did not cheer the girl up as she made her way downstairs. She would enjoy them as she always did, but they simply did not give her that little extra kick in the morning that they so usually did. They were often a motivating factor for shoving herself out of bed in the morning. Now she wanted nothing more than to just curl up beneath her blanket and munch of the tasty treats in the comfort of her warm bed.

As she entered the club's main room, she was surprised to see Melanie already sitting at the bar. The usual bags were there on the counter next to her, one with the donuts and one that she was sure contained her own pumpkin spice latte. That meant that for the first time in forever that Melanie had woken up before her. Just how bad was Miltia feeling right now if that happened?

In an instant however those thoughts were interrupted briefly as she saw her twin bring a dark brown morsel of goodness to her mouth. Only a single word remained in her head as a chill passed through her body.

 _Chocolate!_

No. No no no. She couldn't. She wouldn't.

Miltia moved quickly to the bar and opened up the box which still rested inside the bag. Her heart shattered as she saw its contents. Jelly. Sprinkles. Cream-filled. All of them with a light colored dough that was typical to most donuts. Sure, a few of them had chocolate icing on top of them, but none of the donuts were that rich, dark brown, double chocolate that she lived for each morning.

A murderous gaze shot over at her sister, who finished chewing her food before looking up at her sister. "Good morning, Mil," she greeted happily. "What's up?"

What's up? What was up? Melanie knew what she had done. That innocent smile wouldn't fool anyone. No. Not when they knew one another as well as they knew themselves.

It only made Miltia even more upset than she had been when she woke up. Her coffee may have been untouched, but the best of the donuts had been taken.

"Oh, did you want the last chocolate donut?" Melanie asked. The fact that she was playing dumb was infuriating. "Sorry. I guess I must have thought that there were more in the box."

Miltia let out a long breath. _Don't let her see you angry. She wants you to get upset. If you get upset she wins._

"But like, here," the elder twin continue as she reached into the box to produce what appeared the be one of the jelly filled pastries. "See? It has red stuff inside. It totally matches you!"

She looked down to the dark red tank top she normally slept in. _Breathe. Breathe._

Melanie playfully wiggled the donut in front of her. "Want it?"

Not really. However she was hungry. She did not want Melanie to win either.

Miltia snatched the offending donut from her sister's hand and took a large bite from it. Raspberry jelly oozed from the hole, and the sugar coating on the thing's surface was sweet on her tongue. It wasn't bad. It just wasn't chocolate. It wasn't the same.

Stewing in silent anger and frustration, Miltia worked to get her mind back on track. This wasn't about donuts. This was about Melanie. This was about Jaune. She could not let herself get distracted from such an important issue because of breakfast.

She was just thankful Jaune did not appear to be awake yet. Then again she probably should have expected as much. If he had been down here late last night drinking, then he would probably sleep it off much the same way Melanie often did. For as bad as that was, it was for the best that he wouldn't be down here now. Not when she was going to confront her sister about him and his actions.

Melanie was apparently finished with her fun and games, and had finally decided to comment on her sister's silence. It was an unusual level even for her. "So what crawled up your ass this morning?"

The easy answer would have been to point out that a certain bitch had eaten all of her favorite donuts. However she did indeed have business to attend to. "Have you talked to Jaune lately?"

Melanie took a sip from her tall cup. "I mean, not more than usual. Except..."

The trailing off of her sentence made Miltia's eyes narrow. "Except what?"

The small smirk on the older twin's face could have been from the taste of her latte. Or more likely it could have been from whatever she was purposefully holding back. "Oh, nothing. Just how me and him are totally drinking buddies now. I gotta say I never really did expect our little huntsman to get so into it. But lately he's been spending a lot of time down here having fun with me."

Of course he was. He was trying to cope. Melanie was looking at it like it was a good thing. Like it was a social thing for the two of them. Like they were actually having fun. Maybe that was in fact true on the outside. Miltia hadn't seen the two interact lately. However inside it was only hurting him. She had seen him the night before. She knew what his real thoughts and feelings about it were.

"You have to tell him to stop," Miltia said.

"What? Why?"

"Because he's not-" She stopped herself before she could say anything that would offend Melanie. As much as she wanted to, this was about helping Jaune. Not attacking her sister. "Because it's not him and you know it."

Melanie shrugged. "Yeah, well. Maybe it's who he's gonna be. Maybe he's changing. Maybe your little baby bird is all grown up now."

That was the problem. He was changing, and not for the better. Being encouraged to do what he was doing by Melanie would not help matters either.

"And ya know, I'm kinda liking the new Jaune too," she continued. "Fucking nervous pansy boy is gone. He grew some backbone. Enough to talk a little shit to me at least."

It surprised her that Melanie would like that little change in the boy. Typically the girl liked to be in control. She liked to have her way with those who were weaker than her. To assert her dominance. To have someone actually stand up to her was the antithesis of what she enjoyed in her relationships.

Then again maybe that was the point. Maybe she viewed Jaune's newly found defiance as something she could put down herself. Maybe it could make her feel even more control by doing so.

"He's going through some hard stuff right now," Miltia argued. "Now's totally not the time to think about your own fun."

Melanie shrugged again. "You say fun like it's a bad thing. Maybe he needs a little fun. And shit, if you're not going to make a move then I might as well."

That comment set off warnings in Miltia's mind. She knew that her sister wasn't exactly inexperienced when it came to physical relationships. Such instances were always purely physical, however. For her own benefit. Her own gain. She didn't know any of her partners on such a personal level as she did Jaune.

A twinge of jealousy formed in Miltia's heart. No. She would not let Melanie take Jaune to bed like she had others. She would not let her sister use him. Not when his emotional stability was resting on a razor's edge. Right now he needed to feel love. He needed to feel care. Empty sex would do him no favors.

"Melanie..." she said softly. Her voice was low. Threatening.

"What? You're not interested in him are you?" That same tone of false innocence was back in her voice, just as it had been with the donuts. "But Mil, I thought you totally weren't! I thought those feelings I was picking up on were wrong or whatever."

She had denied it all in the beginning. The fact that Melanie had started teasing her about them only made her deny them even harder. However the fact remained that she did in fact have a crush on Jaune.

It wasn't just that he was cute. It wasn't just physical like it might be for Melanie. No, Jaune was everything that she wasn't. She was everything that this world she had grown up in wasn't. Jaune was kind. Caring. Sweet. Funny. The boy was unashamedly dorky with his love for comic books. He was surprisingly adept in the kitchen, as she had found out firsthand when he had forced her to cook with him. It was an experience she had turned out to enjoy. One she wanted to do again.

But overall, he was innocent. His whole being represented life away from all of what she had ever known. He wasn't a drunk. He didn't have a hard and torturous past. He hadn't hurt others for the joy of it. He wasn't sullied with blood.

At least he didn't used to be.

Now that sweet, innocent boy was gone. He had been sucked in by this world and changed. He had spilt blood in the past few weeks. It didn't matter if those White Fang scumbags were deserving of it. The act itself spoke volumes. Worse still, he had killed. Even if he hadn't intended to kill, Jaune had taken a life. That innocence was gone now. Taken from the boy the moment that terrorist's life had been taken from him.

It broke her heart to see what he had become. How he hated himself for it. How she had been able to do nothing to stop it, because up until that moment when he drove his sword through the stomach of a terrorist, he had wanted it. He had wanted it all. It was out of some sense of justice, sure, but he had wanted that violence. He had wanted that blood. Only now did he understand that being a hero didn't mean that there would always be a happy ending.

"So?" Melanie pressed, drawing Miltia back to the real world.

She shook her head. "Now is so not the time for anything like that."

"Yeah? What the fuck time is it then?"

"To be there for him. To help him."

"By what?" Melanie's voice had raised slightly, and her tone was becoming more aggressive. "By coddling him? By telling him everything's gonna be okay? Newsflash, Miltia. It isn't gonna fucking be okay. You think I like what he did? I don't. But I'm not gonna sit here and pretend like he's gonna just go back to normal."

Miltia knew he was going to be a changed man. She knew he wouldn't be normal anymore. There was no going back to how he used to be. She just wanted to be there for him. To let him know that he wasn't alone in it all. Just as she hadn't been alone for her own past trauma.

"Getting him drunk isn't gonna help," she argued.

"Yeah? Well you're not helping him either!"

Miltia shook her head. "But I wasn't fucking there for him! I have to show that I am now!"

"We both weren't there, and nothing can fucking change that." Melanie sighed, her tone softening a little bit the next time she spoke. "Hovering around him twenty-four seven and treating him like some fragile little egg isn't gonna help. It will only make things worse."

"But-"

"No buts, little sister. He doesn't want fucking pity. I saw that on his face. I heard it in his voice. I don't know what to do to make it go away. Shit, it probably won't ever go away. But if he wants to drink with me, I'm not gonna stop him."

She knew Melanie was right. Treating him like he was made of glass would do him no favors. However, neither would getting wasted every night. She didn't know what to do. She didn't know how to make him feel any sort of happiness again. Any sort of self-worth.

That last one was really one of the keys to it all. Jaune hated himself. He had become everything he hated about the White Fang. She had to find a way to let him know that he was cared about without it being seen as pity.

Furthermore, she had to get him away from Melanie. Her sister meant well, but her methods were self-destructive. The more influence her twin had on Jaune, the further he would descend into a pit of despair.

"So what should we do then?" Miltia asked.

"I don't fucking know," Melanie whispered. "Keep an open mind about shit? And don't tell him it's gonna be okay when it's not. Hei didn't sugarcoat shit for us back then."

"I guess..."

"You can be there for him. Just don't smother him. And if he wants to do something, let him. He's gotta figure shit out himself."

They were surprising words of wisdom from her twin. Maybe it was because she herself had gone through her own fair share of stuff. They both had. They'd both had to figure out how to get over their past loss. To get over the trauma they'd suffered.

They weren't perfect, but they could function. Miltia's nightmares were the worst offender. Melanie's taste for alcohol her own. Hopefully Jaune's own coping mechanism would not be destructive.

* * *

For the second time in a matter of days Ruby felt like a prisoner. Glynda's office did not have the same interrogation feel as the other room did, complete with its flimsy metal table and overhanging light, but it still felt like she was a condemned woman nonetheless.

She wondered why her professor had asked to speak with her again. She had already told her side of the story. A story which Glynda already knew to be incomplete. Could it be that she was going to be punished for lying to a teacher? She had for the most part just omitted part of the truth. That wasn't technically a lie, was it? But then again she had said that she had nothing else to say when the older woman had asked if there was more information she was holding back.

It didn't matter. Ruby would live with the consequences. She wasn't a snitch. She wasn't about to betray a friend's confidence like that. Not Blake's. Not Jaune's. No one's. And if Glynda didn't like it, well, she could shove it right up her-

Her train of thought was interrupted as the door opened to reveal the tall blonde woman. Ruby's posture instantly stiffened. It wasn't that she was afraid of the woman, or being yelled at for slouching. No. Not at all. She simply wasn't used to being in these kinds of situations. Ruby wasn't usually the type to break the rules. Or at least she wasn't the type to get caught when she did. That was Yang's territory. Her sister would be able to sit here with a cool smirk on her face and take whatever their teacher could throw at her. Ruby on the other hand... she just hoped that she wouldn't crack under the pressure.

"Ms. Rose," Glynda said as she moved to take a seat behind her desk. "Thank you for agreeing to see me again."

Ruby shrugged uncomfortably. "Well I mean... you're my teacher. Can't really turn you down, right?" A nervous chuckle followed afterward.

Glynda hummed. "For official school matters, I suppose not," she agreed. "However this meeting does concern your more... extracurricular activities as of late."

Ruby gulped. So it was indeed about that again. The hammer was about to drop. She was about to face the music. Insert ominous metaphor here. Ruby wondered if there was one about a boomerang. A boomerang that was about to come and smack her right in her face.

Maybe Glynda noticed her nervousness with what she said next. "Please understand that you are not in any trouble," she said calmly. The words did make Ruby feel better. "While I may not agree or like your reasoning, know that I do understand why you did what you did. I understand why you wished to protect your friend. It is an admirable quality, but it is one that will only cause more trouble in the end."

The redhead wouldn't disagree there. Lying, no matter how noble it was, often came back to bite the liar in the rear end. Little white lies could be twisted into something far worse. The repercussions could compound and multiply.

"I know," she admitted. "But... I'm not sorry."

Glynda nodded. "Understandable. However you may soon be. Mr. Arc may soon be."

Alarms went off in Ruby's head. What did she mean by that? "What are you talking about, Ms. Goodwitch?"

"Your attempt to protect Mr. Arc may come from a place of loyalty, but in doing so you are allowing him to continue down the path that he has chosen for himself. It is a path of self-destruction. Crime. Pain. And an early grave."

Those alarms were blaring now, and had been accompanied by bright flashing red lights. "W-what do you mean?"

"Can I assume that since you visited that nightclub that he works at you met his coworkers? His employer?"

She had. Ruby had met the two girls she had spoken with on her scroll not long after Jaune had been kicked out of Beacon. Girls she once assumed were in fact his girlfriends. As it turned out that was not the case, but it was not entirely untrue either. One of them, and she wasn't sure which one it was, did have some vague connection to Jaune, according to the boy himself. Even if there wasn't a romantic interest shared between the two, Ruby could not deny that there was still a bond between them. He cared for those girls. It showed when he had argued with Yang on their way to the docks.

Ruby nodded in confirmation. "I, uh, yeah. I met them."

"They're criminals, Ms. Rose. All of them. From Hei Xiong down to the lowliest of his men, they are all criminals."

Criminals. Just as Yang had said they were. Ruby did not know the details and was not about to make assumptions. Making assumptions was what had nearly torn her team apart. Weiss making them about Blake. Blake making them about Weiss. Both of the girls were far more than what the other saw in them. Ruby would not fall into that same trap.

It was because of that that she desperately did want to know more. "All of them? Even those girls my age?"

Glynda nodded. "Melanie and Miltiades Malachite," she said. Glynda knew more about them than she let on. How and why exactly? "Children taken in and raised by Hei to be his special enforcers. Trained and brainwashed from a young age." There was a detectable hint of disgust and disdain in the woman's voice. "Almost as strong as first year students here at Beacon. It's understandable, being trained by a former huntsman."

Ruby couldn't believe it. Surely there had to be more to it than that. Maybe Glynda was wrong? Maybe she was biased in her opinion. Girls who were that bad couldn't have gotten close to a guy as nice and cool as Jaune. He was like her. A hero. Someone who wanted to help others. To do the right thing. Jaune wouldn't group himself up with a bunch of bad guys... would he?

The girl fidgeted uncomfortably in her seat, her gaze lowering from the woman. "Are you... sure about all this?"

"I am," Glynda said firmly. "Hei and I go back a ways, back when he was still a huntsman. He had always walked that thin grey line between serving the kingdoms and serving himself as all huntsmen struggle to do. Then one day he changed. He stopped taking on missions. He stopped answering to the councils and headmasters. Eventually he opened up that club you visited in downtown Vale. The criminal underworld was never the same after that."

It sounded like something out of a movie. Phrases like "the criminal underworld" like he was some sort of mafia boss. A guy who had "enforcers". Things like this painted a fairly obvious picture. However if all of this was true, there was something odd which stood out in Ruby's mind.

"But if he's so bad, then why are he and the White Fang fighting? Shouldn't they be... I don't know. Working together?"

"The world is not as black and white as that, Ms. Rose. Just because one side is bad does not make the other good. What you are witnessing is simply a struggle for power. The old guard versus the new. And believe me when I say that after what happened at the docks, things will only get worse going forward."

The words sent chills down Ruby's spine. Things would only get worse. What could get worse than a dead man? Two dead men? Ten? Or perhaps... just one more. One dead friend.

Glynda must have taken Ruby's stunned silence as a cue to continue. "I am not seeking the truth from Mr. Arc out of a desire to punish him. I have no authority over what he does or whom he associates with. However he is still only a child. A child who only recently was denied his dream in life. He is lost. Rudderless. Easily taken advantage of."

Ruby could only imagine the pain that her friend must have felt in losing out on his opportunity to attend Beacon Academy. Maybe it made sense that in such a vulnerable state that he had fallen in with the wrong crowd.

Still... he had told her and Yang that there was more to his friends than what they believed. Just like there was more to Blake than what Weiss believed. She had to trust Jaune on that. At least until anything that Glynda said could in fact be proven true.

"So... what is it you want me to do exactly?" Ruby asked.

"I want you to convince Mr. Arc to come to Beacon. Not so that he may attend this school. Not so that he may confess his crimes and be punished accordingly. But simply so that he may be removed from that environment which will only lead to his destruction. So that we can take an evaluation of the situation and move forward from there in the best manner possible." Glynda's tone and expression were very quickly and surprisingly becoming soft. "As I said, he is still only a child. As an educator I feel it is my responsibility to look out for his well-being despite the fact that he is not my student. However I cannot do this alone. He has... no reason to think that I have his best interests in mind. Not after it was I who was responsible for his termination from Beacon Academy."

Ruby's eyes widened. That certainly made matters a lot more complicated. That also explained why Ruby was here right now. "You need me for that..."

Glynda nodded gravely. "He will not trust me. He will not believe me. You on the other hand, Ms. Rose, he will trust. You and he are friends, are you not?"

They were. Despite all that had happened, despite being separated from going to the same school together, they were friends. Nothing would ever change that.

She nodded. "Yup. Good friends."

"That is why you are the only one who I believe can pull him from this mess. Of course, you are under no obligation to get involved in this any further than you already are. You will not be punished if you refuse my request. However... that will not stop you from punishing yourself should anything terrible happen to your friend. You and I both know what likely happened down at the docks. What's to stop it from happening again?"

Another chill passed through Ruby's body. If both of their theories were correct, Jaune was the one who had killed that terrorist. A straight blade had been the culprit. It had not been Blake or Weiss' weapons. It made no sense for it to be one of the other White Fang member's weapons. It had to be Jaune's.

Even if it was in self-defense, she could not imagine taking a life like that. She could not imagine disemboweling a man with the blade of Crescent Rose and watching his life slip away before her very eyes. It had to be terrifying. Haunting.

The redhead swallowed hard. "I'll... I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you, Ms. Rose. That's all I ask for. It's all any of us as huntsmen and huntresses can do. To try our very best to protect others."

Ruby nodded absentmindedly. "Yeah."

"Thank you for seeing me. Unless there is anything else you wish to discuss, you are dismissed."

"Yeah," she repeated.

Ruby stood from her seat and left Glynda's office. She had a lot of thinking to do.

She had always been worried that Jaune had been caught up in some dangerous world of crime. She had those fears ever since he had started talking about the White Fang. About harming others. About potentially killing. It seemed as if all of those things he had discussed with her had come to pass. What more would happen? How much further would this go?

Despite not wanting to make snap judgments, Ruby was afraid for her friend. Even if those girls he was friends with weren't pure bad as Yang had once thought, as Ms. Goodwitch had once said, they still lived dangerous lives. Proof of that had reared its ugly head at the docks.

She would have to call Jaune. She would have to at least entertain the idea of getting him to come to Beacon to sit down and have a talk with Ms. Goodwitch. Maybe even with Professor Ozpin himself. He was a good man. He would help set Jaune's head straight.

All of this meant that she had to call him. She had to ask him about what had happened the night of the attempted dust robbery at the docks. It would be the first time speaking to him since the incident.

It was a conversation she was not looking forward to.

* * *

What was she even doing out here?

Miltia asked herself that question and so many more as she stood outside of Jaune's room. It completely went against what she and her sister had discussed earlier. She did not want to smother him with attention. She did not want to heap pity upon him. She just... she just wanted to talk. About something. About anything. It didn't even have to be about what had happened at the docks. It could be about Pumpkin Pete cereal for all she cared. She just wanted to talk like old times.

Would things even be like old times? She wanted to laugh at the thought. They weren't even that old. They'd only known each other for a few months. It wasn't like they were old friends or anything. It wasn't like they had years of history together. What would it really matter if they did wind up going their separate ways now? Would he even miss her? Would she miss him?

 _You can't like me like that anymore. How could you?_

His words from a few nights ago were still fresh in her mind. He knew that she had feelings for him thanks to Melanie. Of course it was her fault. Things were usually her fault.

Jaune had been drunk when he had said that. She couldn't blame him. A lifetime of putting up with Melanie and her antics had made her grow numb to the stupid shit she said while intoxicated. So why was it that those words from Jaune stung the way they did?

The truth of the matter was... she did still like him like that. She didn't see him as the monster he claimed to be. She didn't see him as a murderer. Miltia meant every word of what she had told him the night it had happened, regardless of whether or not he believed it himself. It had been in self defense. It had been either Jaune or the terrorist. The world would not miss a terrorist. However, the world would miss him.

She would miss him.

That was why she would not lose him. Not to the White Fang. Not to Melanie. Not to himself.

Jaune had asked her if she could give him something to live for. Maybe it was a selfish thought on her part, but maybe she could.

With that thought in mind Miltia knocked gently on his door. Her heart was racing as she waited for him to answer. Seconds felt like an eternity, but finally she heard him approach.

A second later his face appeared through the open door. "Oh. Hey, Miltia."

He wasn't upset. That was good. "Hey, Jaune."

Her gaze lowered to the floor, and silence filled space between them. She wasn't particularly talkative. He wasn't feeling particularly talkative lately either. It made for an awkward moment.

Finally, however, he was the one to move things along. "Can I- um. Do you want to come in?"

Miltia nodded.

Opening the door all the way, he motioned for her to enter. She did so quickly, not allowing herself time to think. Not allowing herself an opportunity to back out. She was in now. The hardest part was over.

Miltia's eyes wandered the room after she had stepped inside. A few nights before had been one of the few times she had ever even stepped foot in the room. She hadn't really had it on her mind to look around then, and she could not recall ever doing so in the past. Now, however, she decided to take in the sights.

It was simple, and it was clear that Jaune didn't use it for much of anything other than sleeping. The bed was clean and had fresh sheets on it. There was a small table next to it where he might put his scroll or set a drinking glass. Everything else, however, looked relatively untouched. A thin layer of dust was settled over most of the contents of the room. It made the girl wonder how he could stand to sleep there and not suffer from some sort of breathing issue.

No. She would not let herself lose focus here. She wasn't here to study the contents of Jaune's room. She was here for him.

Miltia sat down on one of the edges of his bed, her legs pressed close together. Her heart continued to drum loudly inside her chest, and the silence in the room only amplified the sound in her head.

Finally, mercifully, it was Jaune who spoke again. "So... what's up?" he asked.

Yes. It made sense that he would expect her to want something. She did after all show up unannounced to his room. She probably looked like a complete fool right now. She certainly felt like one.

This was stupid. This was a mistake. Why had she come? She knew how he felt about her. He was afraid of her. Ever since first seeing what she and Melanie were truly like outside of the club at Tukson's store, he had looked at her differently.

"I..." she began uneasily. "I wanted to say I'm sorry."

Jaune's face scrunched in confusion, and soon enough he had joined her sitting on his bed. "Sorry for what?"

Did he not remember? Or did he simply think it wasn't a big deal? "For... like, throwing your drink," she told him. "I got mad at you. Remember?"

He smiled. It looked surprisingly genuine. "Yeah. I remember."

Why was he smiling? He shouldn't have been. "So... you can be, you know." Miltia shrugged lightly as she sought to convey her thoughts. "Mad at me and stuff."

It was something that Miltia was genuinely confused about. Jaune should have been mad at her. She let him go to the docks alone, and look what had happened? She was angry with herself over what had happened, so why wasn't he? If anyone was to blame for what had happened, it was herself and Melanie. Her sister's protests of innocence may have been technically true, but in reality he was only here because they had brought him into their world. They were the reason he had gotten caught up in this life. Without them he would have likely gone back home long ago.

He would still be innocent. He would still be pure.

"I can't be mad at you," he told her. "How could I be? Why would I be?"

Obviously he wasn't seeing things from her point of view. He wasn't consumed with the kind of guilt that she was. The guilt of failing him. No, he had more than enough guilt in his heart from his own actions. He had no room for hers. She had no right to make him accept hers.

With a shake of her head Miltia dismissed what she was going to say before. "I dunno."

A quick peek at his face showed that Jaune was frowning now. "Are you sure?"

Great. He knew she was lying. She was caught red-handed. As red as her dress. "Maybe?"

His lips curled upward, and a tiny laugh slips through his lips. "Come on. Really. Tell me what I should be mad at you about. If it's for the drink, well... it's not like I paid for it or anything. If there's anyone you should be apologizing to, it's Junior."

True. However right now a glass of cheap liquor wasn't important. Junior would agree with that sentiment. He was concerned about Jaune too, even if he wouldn't admit it. Miltia knew that the man had taken Jaune aside to have a little one on one talk with him. She cold only hope that it had done the trick.

"If anything you should be mad at me," he continued. His smile had disappeared as quickly as it had come, and a frown once more played on his lips. "I said some stuff to you I shouldn't have. I was drunk, but I know that's not an excuse. I don't even know if what I said was true or not. And that was really shitty of me to do, Mil."

She knew he was referring to the fact that she liked him. He knew, but he didn't know if he was right or not. It made sense, after all. Information from Melanie, especially drunk Melanie, could hardly be considered reliable. He had probably known about it for a while now, but the conditions of the previous night had been a perfect storm. It made things easier to come out, and come out they had.

"I'm not mad," she admitted. "You were drunk."

"I just said that wasn't an excuse."

"Yeah? Well it is. Take it from me. I've had to live with Melanie."

The boy shrugged. Clearly he wasn't going to win any arguments that involved being drunk and Melanie in the same sentence. He may have had his little misadventures with the girl from time to time since he had shown up. Miltia had endured them since she had been old enough to have her first drink.

"I... I shouldn't have gotten mad at you, Jaune," she continued. She shook her head in disappointment. Not with anything he had done, but rather herself. "I was too hard on you. I don't have a right to tell you how to cope. We all have our ways."

Junior drank. Melanie drank. Even she drank from time to time. What right did she have to tell Jaune not to do the same? While it was destructive if it got out of control, it wasn't the worst thing he could be doing. He wasn't becoming addicted to hardcore drugs. He wasn't out there trying to unleash his anger through more fighting. More potential killing. If anything this was actually tame. Controlled. In a safe environment with people who were more knowledgeable and experienced than himself.

Still... there were better ways to cope.

"It's okay," he told her. "You were looking out for me. And I know that you were just trying to protect me."

Jaune could not have realized in that moment he made Miltia's heart shatter.

She turned her head so that he could not see the tears which had built up in her eyes. Apparently her reaction and lack of a response had caused him some concern. "Mil?" he asked.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"What?"

Like a dam releasing a reservoir of water, her emotion's began to spill forth. Her entire plan to hold back her own guilt was forgotten. "I should have been there..."

"Miltia, what are you-"

"I should have fucking been there!" she repeated as she turned back to him. Her face burned as tears ran down her cheeks, undoubtedly ruining the mascara and eye shadow that she wore. "If we had gone with..."

She couldn't finish her sentence before a choking sob interrupted her. Before with Melanie she had displayed anger. Anger at both herself and the situation in general. It was easy to be angry. It was a powerful emotion. A motivating one.

Now however that anger had been replaced by sorrow. She was a girl filled with remorse. Regret. Wishing that she could have done things differently.

"Miltia..."

She shook her head again. "If we had been there then this wouldn't have happened," she told him. "I fucking abandoned you because _I_ was pissed off. _I_ didn't wanna go with Ruby. And then... you... you..."

Miltia again didn't finish her thought, as this time Jaune pulled her into a hug. She felt selfish. So selfish. Here Jaune was hurting over what he had done. He had killed a man. He was filled with guilt and remorse of his own. And now he was being forced to comfort her because _she_ felt guilty about her part in what had happened to him.

She was scum. She was the real monster. Not him.

Her face was buried in his chest when she spoke, muffling her words. "Why are you being so nice? I thought you were afraid of me..."

"What?" he asked, sounding genuinely confused. "What are you talking about?"

She sniffed, still feeling the effects from spilling tears earlier. "I've seen how you look at me. I know you're afraid of me. After seeing what me and Melanie did at Tukson's place... the shit that me and my sister have done... we don't do it for the same reasons you do. You used to be normal. So fucking normal. And now thanks to us... you're..."

To Jaune's credit, he did not seem to see things that way. At least not if his actions reflected how he felt as he hugged her. "It's okay, Mil," he said soothingly. "I'm not afraid of you. I don't hate you for what you've done. I don't blame you for what I've done either."

He didn't fear her. He didn't hate her. The words should have filled her with happiness. They should have filled her with relief. They were everything that she had wanted to hear. However her own happiness was not what she cared about right now. She could not stand to be so selfish while he was still hurting.

"You should!" she yelled. "Blame us! Blame me!" Perhaps it would make him feel better if he could place the blame anywhere else but himself.

"But I don't. I made that decision." Being this close to him she could hear his breathing. She could feel the pulse in his chest. She could hear him swallow loudly before he spoke next. "Only I have to live with what I did. Not you."

"And you're gonna fucking drink yourself to death."

"Maybe it's what I deserve," he said softly. The words filled her body with chills despite being close to him. "Looks like I'm not gonna get punished for killing a man. Maybe having to live with that is punishment enough. I never did get punished for trying to sneak into Beacon either." She felt him shudder before he spoke next. "I wish I had never even tried getting in."

The words made her shiver once more. They were accompanied by a thought. It was a selfish thought for sure, but she could not deny that it was there. If Jaune had never attempted to sneak into Beacon Academy then she never would have met him. She did not want to imagine that.

It was obvious he was still in a great deal of pain. He had been trying to mask it for her benefit. He had smiled a fake smile. He had tried to get her to talk about her own problems so that he might help her. He had even put the blame of their earlier conversation on himself to make her feel better. What a stupid, selfless huntsman he was.

And in a way that realization was comforting. There was a silver lining in the dark storm cloud. She had been wrong about him being different now. Despite the fact that he had killed a man, Jaune had not changed as a person. The fact that he was hurting from his actions, and not dead on the inside, meant that this world he had been introduced to had not consumed him. Hate had not consumed him. Taking a man's life had not corrupted him. Jaune was still the kind-hearted young man she had first met that one awful night. A night that in retrospect was not so awful anymore.

He was still able to see the good in people. Even in Miltia herself.

The thought filled her with warmth as she looked up into his own teary blue eyes. "You're still in there," she whispered. "You're still my innocent little huntsman."

Miltia didn't care if that was Melanie's nickname for him. It was the truth. At his core he was still a huntsman. He was still a good man. He was the model of what all those worthless dogs of the kingdom should aspire to be.

"I'm not a huntsman," he disagreed. "Maybe I once wanted to be, but..." He shrugged. "I don't know anymore. Junior was right. Being a hero isn't all it's cracked up to be. Not if it means having to feel like this."

Those words made her angry. He shouldn't hate himself the way he did. Jaune deserved happiness. He deserved to feel some sort of self-worth again. He deserved to see himself as a hero. Not a monster.

He deserved to feel loved.

She looked up at him, and separated from his touch. Coldness replaced where his hands had once been. "Jaune."

"Yeah?"

"I wouldn't do this with someone who's a monster," she said as she tilted her head up to meet his.

Her warm lips pressed softly against his own. It was awkward, with Miltia having no experience in this kind of activity. By the way Jaune's own lips failed to move or part much at all, he likely did not either. However it was the gesture that mattered the most, not how good or skilled they were. At least that was what she told herself in the moment.

A few moments later Miltia pulled back to gauge his reaction. It was about what she had expected.

Finally his lips parted, only in shock rather than being receptive to her kiss. Blue eyes were wide, and tears which had once built up in them had vanished. A breath he had likely been forced to hold in at last came out before he sucked more air into his lungs.

"Miltia..." he said breathlessly. "What-"

"Shh," she said, cutting him off. "You're not a monster, Jaune. You're a good person. The best one I know." She gently placed a hand on his chest, and she could feel the rapid beating of his heart. Her heart was pounding as well. Her own breathing was becoming difficult in anticipation of what she was about to say. "And... I know how to make you forget about what you're going through right now. At least for tonight."

"You just said I shouldn't get drunk..."

His mind had gone back to Melanie's words. Words about how drinking the night away could make you forget the problems in your life. No, his mind would not be on Melanie tonight. Melanie would not get her chance to try and take the boy for herself.

Tonight his thoughts would be of her, and her alone.

"I'm not talking about drinking," she whispered as she brought herself in close again.

"Then what?"

He couldn't be that dense. Perhaps he was only asking just to make absolutely certain it was what she wanted. It was so like him. So kind. So considerate. The very qualities which had made her fall for him in the first place.

Miltia kissed him once more, this time softly pushing against his chest until he was lying atop his bed. She moved with him, her legs straddling his waist and her chest pressed up against his as their second kiss became hungrier. With the first one out of the way she had become braver. She did not hold back any passion this time. Pent up want and desire that had been growing for months now could now flow freely knowing that he neither hated nor feared her.

It was longer, but eventually she broke free from his lips once more to look into his eyes.

"Oh..." he said knowingly.

"But... but only if you want to."

His answer was loud and clear when his hand came up to cup her cheek, bringing her back down to continue where they had left off... and to move forward from there.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Well, that happened. A big step taken to firmly solidify this as Jaune x Miltia. "Curved Claws", according to the shipping chart. Cool enough name I suppose.

I know a lot of people were looking forward to the relationship progressing. Was this enjoyable? Let me know! I'm always curious about what people think.

As always I want to thank everyone for reading and reviewing. I hope you enjoyed the chapter.

And for those who are interested, I recently released a White Knight one-shot. Go give it a read! If you're into White Knight, that is.


	20. Chapter 20

It wasn't the harsh rays of the morning sun filtering in through his window that woke Jaune up. Rather, it was the slight tickling sensation on the tip of his nose. Moving and twitching it did nothing to alleviate the sensation, and so he brought a hand up to scratch it. Said hand was intercepted by something else before it could even reach his nose. By somebody else.

When Jaune opened his eyes he was greeted immediately by the source of his nose's discomfort. A head of raven-black hair lay atop his chest, and mere centimeters away from his face. With each rise and fall of his chest that head moved, bringing it closer to him with every breath he took. It took a moment for his hazy and sleepy mind to become clear. To realize who she was. Why she was there. What had happened the previous night.

Pulling his head back and away from the sleeping girl who was coiled around his body, Jaune remembered everything. Miltia Malachite and he had fallen asleep in this position the previous night after... after having sex. It was a word in his mind that he was still struggling to comprehend. He, Jaune Arc, had had sex. With a beautiful girl no less. Not just beautiful. Stunningly beautiful. Someone who was way out of his league. A girl who had a body most guys could only dream about seeing, much less feeling. And feel her he had. He had felt every inch of her. He had felt inside and out of her. Just remembering the sensations he had felt last night caused his body to react accordingly. He couldn't blame it on what sometimes happened to guys in the morning.

Jaune was terrified. Petrified. He felt the warmth of Miltia's body as her bare flesh pressed up against his. He felt the paradoxically heaviness of her tiny and petite body lying halfway atop his. He did not want to move. He did not want to wake her. What could he do? What could he say? He had never done anything like this before. He had never been in this kind of position. What would he say when she woke up? What would she say? Would someone come out and say it was all a mistake? Would there be regret? Would Miltia say it had only been to make him feel better, but she was not interested in a relationship?

No. He knew how she felt about him. Melanie's words had been undeniably confirmed last night. A girl didn't make a move like this just because she wanted you to feel better about yourself. She cared for him. She had feelings for him. Why someone like her would fall for a guy like him, he didn't know. Why someone like him would fall for a girl like her, he didn't know either. Whenever he had dreamed about meeting and dating a girl, criminal enforcer was not the first description which came to mind.

But there was more to Miltia than that, wasn't there? Just like he had told Yang, there was another side to Miltia. A caring side. A shy side. One that wanted to know more about the comic books he had briefly shared with her. One that adorably struggled to work in the kitchen with him. One that loved chocolate almost as much as life itself. There was another side to Melanie as well, even if the other girl hid it better. Miltia, like Melanie, wasn't a bad person. She had been forced to deal with tragic circumstances in her young life. She had been raised with only one principle to guide her in her life - survive. Live at all costs. Do not let what happened to her parents happen to her or her twin sister. If that meant living at the expense of others... so be it.

It was selfish. Jaune wasn't deluded enough to deny that. However at the same time he also understood. Selfishness was a part of being human. Most people valued their own lives over those of others. It took a rare and special breed to put the lives of others ahead of themselves. Jaune was in reality no different. He may have once wanted to be a hero. A huntsman. A defender of humanity. But at the end of the day he had fought tooth and nail to stay alive in his battles against the White Fang. He had taken another life in order to preserve his. At his core, just like with nearly every other person in the world, he had decided to live at any cost. Therefore he could never blame those two girls for doing the same.

His thoughts drifted back to Miltia as he watched her sleep. He could feel that his heart rate had increased since becoming aware of the sleeping girl at his side. She was warm. So warm. So tiny and delicate. Jaune recalled how easily he could wrap his thumb and finger around her slender wrists. How could someone so small have the power to kill him or any other person if she ever desired to? She was so soft. How was it possible for a person to be so soft? Her skin was smooth as silk. Skin he could not stop, and never did want to stop touching.

Her ample chest was pressed up against his side. One of her arms was thrown around his own chest. One of her legs was wrapped around his. Miltia was all but clinging to him for dear life. There was no way to move or get out of bed without dislodging the girl and undoubtedly waking her up. However, he didn't want to move. Right now in this moment he felt happy. It wasn't just because he was a seventeen year old boy who had sex for the first time. He felt emotionally connected to the girl. He felt loved. Had that been her goal all along?

Jaune didn't know what he should do with his arms and their limited mobility right now. One was currently wrapped around her back while the other was free. Should that one go around her back as well? Should he stroke her hair? Should he do nothing? He didn't know. This was all new to him. Should he kiss the top of her head lovingly? Or should any such shows of affection wait until she was awake as well?

Those thoughts were chased from his head when his scroll on the table next to him began to buzz. Jaune panicked, not wanting the harsh sound to wake the girl who was so peacefully slumbering against him.

Reaching out as far as his free arm would go, Jaune was just able to snatch the scroll and bring it back to him. A look at the caller ID showed that it was Ruby. A feeling of dread passed over him. He hadn't spoken to her in days. Not since the docks. She was apparently okay. That was good. He hadn't been entirely certain. But what might she want? Was she calling to make sure he was alright as well? Or was it something else? Something he had done. Something she might have only recently learned about?

Still, he didn't want to wake Miltia. Thankfully the buzzing stopped, and Ruby was being taken to his voicemail box. He would listen to what she had to say later. Jaune relaxed his arm, and his hand and scroll now gently laid on the bed next to him.

Only the girl didn't seem to want to wait until later. The buzzing started anew, much to his chagrin. Ruby was a persistent one. She wanted to talk to him. She wanted to do it now. It was entirely likely that she would just keep calling until he answered. Now wasn't the best time to talk, but it looked as if he had no choice. He had to stop the scroll from its incessant vibrating. A gentle whisper would be far better than that.

Bringing the device up to his face, Jaune accepted the call. "Hey, Ruby," he greeted softly. He hoped that his tone of voice would give her the proper cue. "What's up?"

Silver eyes widened immediately, and he saw how Ruby's lips moved to speak, but no words came out. It took a few seconds for the girl to collect herself before finally replying. "Uh, hey, Jaune. Um..."

Perhaps it was because he was shirtless and in bed that Ruby was so awkward. Maybe she thought that she had woke him up with her call and felt bad about it. He appreciated her consideration. If there was one thing he could say about Ruby, it was that she cared greatly about others. She was the hero he had thought about earlier. One who put herself ahead of others.

"I can't talk for long," he whispered. "Are you okay?"

"I... um..."

Jaune frowned. "Ruby? What's wrong?"

There was a nervousness in her eyes. It was like she was looking at her scroll, but at the same time trying not to. "You're holding your scroll in landscape mode..."

His scroll was indeed sideways. "Yeah? So what?"

Ruby swallowed hard. "It's just... um... it's wider. I can see... her."

A cold chill ran through Jaune's body, overpowering the warmth Miltia was providing him with. Looking down, Jaune saw what Ruby must have been seeing. A sleeping girl with her head against his bare chest just below his shoulder. Ruby may have only been fifteen, but that was still more than old enough to understand the implications of what must have been going on. Of what must have happened.

When his eyes returned to Ruby's own on his scroll, it was he who didn't quite know what to say now. He said the only thing that came to mind. "Oh."

Ruby nodded, her head bobbing quickly and nervously. "I'll call you back later. I'm... I'm sorry for interrupting."

Before he could even respond the call with Ruby ended and the screen went black. He stared at it for a few more moments just to be sure it was indeed over.

That... had been unexpected. However it was all his fault. He had brought that embarrassment upon himself. Had he only held his scroll differently the camera might not have caught Miltia in its view. However there was nothing he could do about it now. Ruby knew. It was nothing to be ashamed of. And it wasn't like the girl didn't expect such a thing. She had once called both Miltia and Melanie his girlfriends. That statement was half-true now. Or at least, it might be. He still needed to talk to Miltia about that.

It was with that thought in mind that he felt the girl stir beneath him. Miltia's head lifted to reveal a pair of tired, but still brilliantly sparkling eyes. They regarded him with the same warmth they had the previous night. The same affection they had in them when he and her had connected physically and emotionally. It was a look that managed to make his heart flutter.

A soft smile played on her lips as she silently stared at him for a few moments. Finally though she spoke. "Hey."

Jaune nodded softly. Nervously. "Hey."

More silence. In comparison to her sister, Miltia was not the most talkative of girls. This new and awkward experience for both of them only compounded that. He didn't know what to say either. What did one do when first waking up with their significant other? Were they even one another's significant other? It was a detail that still needed to be hammered out.

"Did you sleep well?" she asked.

He did. He honestly did. Nightmares which had plagued him for the past few nights had been chased away. Miltia had been right about one thing. Last night had made him forget about what he had done. Both in his waking and sleeping mind. His thoughts had been on her. Her gleaming emerald eyes. Her warm and beautiful body. Her quiet voice that spoke gently to him while they made love, and moaned softly in delight as they shared the experience. Last night she had been his entire world. Not the White Fang.

"I did," he confirmed. "It was... amazing." He wasn't just speaking about his night's sleep either. "What about you?"

"Mmhmm," she agreed. "What time is it?"

Jaune grabbed his scroll once more to check the time. "A little after eleven."

"Fuck," she breathed softly.

He was filled with concern by her reaction. "What? Is something wrong?"

Miltia shook her head lightly. "Nah. Just... I don't usually sleep this late." She smiled, her gaze averting slightly before continuing. "I guess I must have been like, really tired."

Jaune could not help but feel his chest swell with an immature pride at the comment. He had exhausted the girl with his... beginner's skills in sex. It hadn't lasted very long. At least not as long as he would have liked for it to. However they had cuddled for a long time afterward until they had fallen asleep. He hoped the experience had been as enjoyable for her as it had been for him.

He may have taken her comment as a compliment, but he wasn't sure if it was. "Oh. Is that a good thing?"

"Mmhmm," she agreed once more. "You're a nice pillow."

That was what he had been, wasn't it? Miltia had been all but using his chest as a pillow. And with the way her arm and leg had been wrapped around him, it wouldn't exactly be inaccurate for him to have called her a blanket. Their naked bodies pressed together underneath the sheet had created an incredible warmth with their shared body heat. She was the best blanket he had ever had the pleasure of enjoying.

Jaune chuckled lightly. "Thanks. Glad you... like it, I guess?"

As if to emphasize her point Miltia laid her head back down on his chest. "Your heart is beating really fast."

Of course it was. There was a beautiful naked girl touching him. He'd have to be a zombie not to be affected by her presence. By the whole situation period.

"Yeah. You kinda make it do that."

He felt Miltia's grip on him tighten as soon as he had said those words. The leg that she had wrapped around his own shifted, and brushed against his manhood. Her head lifted up again so that she could look at him. "Oh wow," she said softly. "You're ready to go again?"

Jaune looked away, feeling his face growing warm at her feeling and commenting on his readiness. "I, uh, can't help it. Like I just said, you're... good at doing those kinds of things to me."

In his periphery he could see her smile warmly at him before she resumed making him into her pillow. She said nothing in response to his admission, but she did not need to. Her smile had been enough to know that the compliment had been received.

Now that she was awake and they were talking, Jaune was growing more comfortable by the minute. More confident. Knowing that Miltia did not regret last night, knowing that she was enjoying herself even in this moment, he grew more bold. He thought about what a boyfriend might do with his girlfriend right now. How might he show affection when first waking up in the morning? While peacefully cuddling in bed together?

One hand was around her back, and he moved the other up to Miltia's head where he began to gently run it through her short hair. It was smooth as silk, and a soft moan of contentment slipped through Miltia's lips at the feel of his fingers. Again her arms tightened around him lovingly. Protectively. Like a shield to cover his body from the outside world.

For a few blissful minutes it continued and neither spoke. Jaune almost thought that Miltia had fallen back asleep under his soothing strokes. In the warm embrace of his body. However there was one question that was on his mind. One thing he wanted to know.

"Mil?" he asked quietly.

"Mmm?"

Her hum was soft and weak. Perhaps she had been on the edge of sleep. Jaune was sorry to disrupt that, but he craved an answer to his question.

"I was just wondering. What are we now exactly?"

He hoped the question didn't sound rude. Or that he should have known how they should define themselves simply because they had slept together. He knew that he had feelings for her. He knew that she had feelings for him. However he did not want to make assumptions. He did not want to presume to know what she wanted out of this.

Miltia's head came up again, and this time she rested her chin on his chest so that she could look into his eyes as she spoke. "I dunno," she admitted. "What do you wanna be?"

He didn't quite know what his options were. Jaune would consider himself to be an old fashioned guy. Coming from a loving family of eight children, his parents had perfected the art of commitment. Genuine affection and commitment were what he knew. In all honesty that was what he would want in a relationship. It was what he wanted with Miltia. He wondered if she would want the same.

The boy shifted uncomfortably, not going with his usual tell of nervousness by scratching his face or neck. "I, uh, I guess I wouldn't mind if we were a couple."

He winced at the words. Only after they left his mouth did he realize how unromantic they sounded. But he was still new to this. Not just the physicality. Everything. What to do. What to say. What not to say. How not to sound like an inconsiderate jerk. He hoped that he had not offended her.

"That came out wrong," he said. "What I meant to say was-"

If Miltia was offended it certainly didn't show when she cut him off. "No, it's okay. I wouldn't mind either. So..."

"So I guess we're a thing now?"

He felt and saw the girl slightly shrug her shoulders. "Guess so."

Jaune's heart swelled with pride. With happiness. He had a girlfriend. For the first time ever. She was the best he could have ever hoped for. She was strong. Tough. Dangerous. If someone knew about what she did for a living, and what she had done in the past, most would call her a bad girl. A bad influence. Someone who Jaune should not associate himself with.

However if they knew the girl underneath that rough exterior, they would agree that she was amazing. Kind. Sweet. Caring. Protective. Someone who would do all of the bad things she did in order to protect the ones she loved. She would kill without hesitation in order to keep Melanie safe. At this point Jaune wouldn't be surprised if she would do the same for him.

For a brief moment his thoughts drifted back to the man he had killed. Guilt washed over his heart. After what he did, how did he deserve to be with a girl like Miltia? Where was his punishment?

But those thoughts were chased from his mind when Miltia spoke again. "You alright, Jaune?"

Perhaps his face had twisted with worry at remembering what he had done. As he looked into those concerned emerald eyes of Miltia, however, the thoughts vanished. "Yeah," he said. He was okay for now, at least. "I'm good."

She nodded softly. "Okay."

Jaune got the impression that she didn't exactly believe him. Like maybe she knew what he might have been thinking about. If anyone would know about memories and past trauma, it was Miltia and her sister. Maybe she was all too familiar with the expression that might have been on his face. Maybe she knew it was better not to press the issue.

"So..." he started uneasily. "What do we do now?"

"Like, now-now?"

"No, in general. Do we go on a date or something? I'm kinda new to all this."

Miltia giggled. It was a light and musical laugh that betrayed any vision he had of her being a strong and badass fighter. "I think we're totally past the point of going on dates."

She had a point. Their relationship had began in a less than conventional way. Normally two people got to know one another first before sleeping together. They had skipped straight to the act before officially becoming a couple. So should they go back and do the initial steps? Or should they go forward from here?

"Heh, yeah," he agreed. "I guess that's true."

Perhaps what they had already been through counted as dating. Perhaps it counted as the courtship process. It wasn't as if the two of them had first met last night before hooking up for a night of casual sex. Jaune had known Miltia for months. They had drank together. They had eaten together. They had fought together. They had cooked together. They had done so many things that helped them get to know one another before sleeping with each other. They were already friends. Maybe the simple admission of their feelings was all that was needed. Maybe that was the logical next step.

"So what do you want to do now?" he asked. "Now-now, I mean," he added for clarification.

"I guess I kinda want breakfast."

He hadn't realized it until she said it, but Jaune was hungry. Breakfast sounded like a wonderful idea. "Yeah. That sounds good."

"There should be donuts downstairs," she said as she removed herself from his body.

A cold and empty feeling replaced where Miltia had once been. It was an unwelcome sensation. Jaune wanted nothing more than to wrap his arms around the girl and bring her back down against his body once more, but he knew that they couldn't just stay in bed together forever. Especially not if they wanted food.

Jaune made a move to get up himself, but was stopped when Miltia spoke. "You don't have to get up," she told him. "I'll go get some food and bring it up to us."

Maybe the girl had read his mind. Maybe they could spend more time in bed together today. "You sure?"

"Mmhmm."

As Miltia stood up from the bed and walked over to retrieve her dress from the floor, Jaune once again got a full look at her body. As he had been thinking, she was stunningly beautiful. Slim and slender, but developed in all of the right places. In all of the best places.

Her pale and silky smooth skin was lit up by the rays of light which managed to peek through the window's curtain. It was as if the sun itself wanted to display how utterly gorgeous she was. Jaune could not help but look. And stare. And feel himself becoming aroused all over again. As he had told her, she had that effect on him.

It was clear that she noticed his hungry gaze when she looked up to see him and his attention focused on her. Her motion to cover herself was bashful and shy, as was the tone of her voice. "Jaune... you're staring."

He averted his eyes immediately. "I'm sorry," he said quickly. "It's just... you're so beautiful."

Miltia's own eyes darted down to the floor, and he saw her cheeks flush in embarrassment. "Oh."

"I'll try not to stare anymore."

The girl seemed to linger in putting her dress on all the way, and the garment hung loosely around her waist. Her upper body was still on full display for him. "No... it's okay." Jaune peeked back up at those words, and saw that Miltia had already looked back over to him. Their eyes met, and Jaune could see that there was happiness in hers. "I like that you wanna stare."

For long seconds she remained only half-dressed, as if to allow Jaune to drink in the sight of her body.

Finally though, she pulled her dress up all the way and zipped it up in back. Now clad in her familiar red dress, she made her way to the door. "You can stare more later," she said meekly. Her next words somehow came out even softer. "And I'd like to stare too..."

Before he could respond she was out of his room, and on her way to go and get them some food. Breakfast in bed with her would be a delicious experience. In more ways than one.

Deciding that maybe he should get dressed as well, Jaune stood from his bed and began to gather some of his clothes.

* * *

Miltia's face felt paradoxically hot in comparison to her cold body as she walked down the hall after leaving Jaune's room. She was still a little bit sore below the waist as she walked, and her body longed to return to lying in bed beside Jaune. Being in the warm embrace of the young man turned lover was an experience she was hard-pressed to describe. It was a feeling that could not be replicated or replaced. If not for their hunger she would return to that bed right now. A place that felt safe. A place that felt right. A place where her nightmares had not dared to rear their ugly heads the previous night as she slept.

She hoped that she had been able to provide him with the same comfort which he had given her. Jaune was hurting, and she knew that. Miltia hoped that somehow, in some way, what they had shared last night might make him feel some happiness or sense of self worth again. She hoped that any nightmares which might have plagued his own sleep would be chased away. She hoped that they would be replaced with dreams of her. It might have been a egotistical thought, but she knew that he enjoyed thinking about her if the way he looked at her was any indication.

When she was dressing herself Jaune had stared at her with such adoration. Such amazement. Such... lust. The thought of him looking at her like that made her smile stupidly and blush brightly. Miltia knew she was good looking. She had garnered the attention of more than a few men over the past few years of working at Junior's club. However those creepy and drunken leers had meant nothing to her. Those men had meant nothing to her. She would have castrated them with her curved claws had any dared lay a hand on her. Melanie and Junior would have finished them off before disposing of their mutilated bodies.

However with Jaune she knew there was real emotion behind his looks. There was genuine affection. He couldn't fake what he had done last night. The assault of feather-light kisses on her lips. Her face. Neck. Body. Everywhere. The way he looked into her eyes. The way he held her tight when they had finished. His feelings for her were real, just as hers were real for him. It was because of this that she did not mind his hungry gaze. His desire to look at her. To appreciate the beauty she knew she possessed.

In particular she noticed how he appreciated two very specific parts of her. Last night he had given her breasts an inordinate amount of attention. For Miltia they had always been there. They were just another part of her body. Nothing to give a second thought about. Nothing special about them at all. To Jaune, however, they might as well have been the greatest treasures in all of Remnant.

Boys were so weird.

Miltia smiled at the thought. She could live with that. If Jaune liked them, then she was happy for him. They were after all just another part of her, and she knew that Jaune liked all of her. Not just those parts of her body. Besides. It wasn't as if she didn't appreciate parts of his body either. His broad chest. His large hands. His hard...

She blushed again thinking about his body for a change. Particularly that one part of it which she had briefly felt again this morning with her leg. Somehow it had fit inside her the previous night. It had been painful at first. She wouldn't deny that, and she couldn't hide that fact in the heat of the moment. Jaune had been slow, however. Careful. Loving. Attentive to her every need. He asked if she was okay with every pained gasp she took. They persisted, and in time it got better. Pleasure came with the pain. The experience, the connection with Jaune, had been worth the pain. Helping to make him feel better about himself had been worth it. Making herself feel better had been worth it. And it would only get better every other time afterward.

...Was she really planning that far ahead? Here she was, the morning after her first time, and she was already thinking about future encounters with Jaune. Miltia wondered if he would feel the same way. If he would desire to share such an experience with her again. Every instinct told her that he would. He was a guy, after all. A guy who could not keep his hands off of her last night. Still, she did not want to make assumptions. She did not want him to feel pressured to do anything. She had been the aggressor last night. He had been vulnerable. What if he didn't want it again? What if looking back on it now he believed it to be a mistake?

Miltia shook her head at the thought. She had not taken advantage of him. She absolutely had not. No way. ...Had she? No. Jaune had wanted it too. She even asked him after making her intentions clear. He had been the one to kiss her again. To pull her down atop him on the bed. To wrap his arms around her. To flip her over and onto her back before the two had started ripping their clothes off...

Her face flushed again, and Miltia needed to clear these thoughts from her mind before she got downstairs. It was past eleven in the morning. Melanie would undoubtedly be awake by now. The chocolate donuts would be all gone by now, but she didn't care. Miltia was far too happy right now to care about something so frivolous. She had her own sweet treat waiting for her back in Jaune's room, one that Melanie could only dream of getting to taste...

And that thought had really just passed through her head. Since when had she become such a girly girl? One who blushed and got flustered at the thought of a boy she liked? She was Miltiades Malachite. Special enforcer for an underground crime boss. She wore razor sharp claws on her wrists and tore apart men twice her weight with practiced ease. She was not about to become some weak-kneed bimbo who lost her composure at the thought of a boy. Melanie would never let her live that down if she found out.

When she found out.

It was only a matter of time. When her sister did learn, the teasing would begin anew. It would be stronger than ever. Melanie would gloat about how she had been right all along. About how she knew her precious baby sister better than Miltia knew herself. It would be annoying. However, such was the price to pay for finally finding someone to share a relationship with. Maybe that was why Melanie kept all of her relationships brief and casual. With no attachments Melanie could never be teased about them.

When Miltia stepped foot in the club's main room her sister was there. She was sitting at one of the tables, her tall latte cup next to her and her scroll in one of her hands. The girl looked up, but said nothing.

It was odd to say the least, but Miltia was thankful for the silence. Moving over to the table where the bags sat, she found the one with the box of donuts and opened it up. To her surprise there were a couple of chocolate donuts left. Taking a cautious peek back over at Melanie, she saw her twin was smiling. Still, she said nothing.

Now she only had to come up with an excuse to take the entire box of donuts back up with her to Jaune's room. She was blanking when it came to that. Miltia took a sip of her pumpkin spice latte, hoping that it would somehow help her. It did not. And so as she stood at the table before the box of donuts and her twin sister, Miltia could not help but feel like an awkward idiot.

And there Melanie was still smiling at her. Still staring at her. All while saying nothing. Not even a morning greeting. Finally, it was too much for Miltia.

"What," the younger girl snapped.

Melanie looked up at her innocently. "Hmm?"

Miltia suppressed the urge to growl. Here her sister was again playing the innocent card. "Why are you looking at me?"

The other girl shrugged. "Why wouldn't I? I'm hot, and looking at you is like looking in a mirror."

It was Melanie's typical narcissism on display, but for some reason Miltia wasn't buying it. There was something off this morning. Why had Melanie saved her some of her favorite donuts? Maybe she shouldn't even bother in wondering. Maybe she should just appreciate the small gifts that life sometimes gave.

With that in mind she didn't care what her sister might think of her taking the entire box with her. Snatching it up, Miltia was about to turn to head back to the staircase, but was stopped when Melanie spoke again.

"Wow, you must be really hungry this morning," she commented.

Miltia stopped, but did not turn when she responded. "Maybe I am."

She didn't need to see Melanie's face to know what kind of expression was on it when she spoke next. "Yeah, I'll bet."

There was a certain knowing tone in the girl's voice. Something on the edge of teasing, but not quite there yet. It gave Miltia bad vibes. She had to get out of there, and now.

"Anything else?"

"Nah," Melanie said nonchalantly. "Just tell Jaune I said 'hi' when you get back up there."

Miltia froze in place. It took her a few seconds to turn around and look back at her sister, who had a shit-eating grin on her face. For what seemed like an eternity she didn't know what to say. Finally though, she spoke. "What?"

"You and me both know that's totally too many donuts for you," the elder twin said knowingly. "So, did my dear innocent sister get lucky last night?"

By this point Melanie had stood up and started walking over to where Miltia stood. She knew the teasing would be coming, but she was still unprepared for it. She did not want to deal with it this soon.

So she did the only thing she could think to do. She denied it. "N-no. What are you talking about?"

"Oh come on, Mil. Don't you know that I already know? You know that you can't hide your strong feelings from me. And that includes your lust~," she sang, poking the tip of Miltia's nose with a finger.

It wasn't the first time that Miltia hated the fact that she and her sister had such a Semblance. The ability to sense one another's strong emotions. Born during their harrowing experience at Mountain Glenn after their parents had died. When they had been lost and alone, save for one another. Both of them had been terrified. Devastated by the loss they knew they had already suffered. Fearful of losing one another as well. To have such a Semblance, to be able to know that the other was still alive, had been a comforting feeling once. To know that they were never alone helped them. To know how the other was feeling enabled one to sooth the other in her time of need.

It was useful for combating fear. Depression. It was good for coordinating attacks and defense in the middle of battle. However for something like this it was nothing short of embarrassing.

Melanie grabbed her by the arm and dragged her back over to the table where she was forcibly sat down. "So come on, what was my baby sister's first time like?" she continued. "Come on, I need details. What kind of stuff did you do to him?" The girl gasped, her eyes widening and a hand moving to cover her mouth briefly before going on. "No, what kind of stuff did _he_ do to _you_?"

Miltia shook her head wildly. "Shut up, Melanie."

"Come on. Tell me. Was he good? Tell me tell me tell me."

In reality? It had been awkward. Clumsy. It had not lasted very long. Neither knew what they were doing. Neither had any experience. However none of that mattered. It had been with _him_. It had been _their_ awkward, clumsy and short experience. One that she would not have traded for anything else in the world.

But despite all of that, it had indeed been good. She could not deny the fact that she had enjoyed herself. She had no regrets.

"It was..." she began before stopping herself. She could feel that she was blushing just at the thought of last night. "No. I am not about to tell my sister about my sex life."

Melanie scoffed. "Oh come on. I tell you about mine all the time."

"Yeah. I really wish you'd stop doing that."

Miltia could tell her sister was growing frustrated and impatient. "You can't leave me hanging like this. Who came first, you or him? Did he get the job done the first time? Or did he have to finish you off another way after he did? Fingers? Tongue?"

"Melanie! Oh my gods!"

"Yeah, I bet you were saying that a lot last night," she smirked. "Weren't you?"

She couldn't remember what she might have said... or screamed or moaned the previous night. All she knew was that this conversation had gotten way out of hand. "Just... just shut up."

"Ugh, you are such a prude," Melanie complained. "I mean, come on. You just banged our little huntsman and you're still being shy about this shit?"

A knocking sound filled the air, and Miltia was never more grateful for there to be somebody at the front door of the club. Anything to spare her from continuing on with this conversation was a good thing.

At first the two of them ignored the noise, but it continued. Finally it was Melanie who stood. She was probably itching for the opportunity to tell off whoever was pounding on the door.

"For fuck's sake, doesn't this idiot know we're closed?" she asked as she stomped towards the entrance.

Miltia hoped that the girl wouldn't take a swing at the person. Annoyance or not, some random moron off the street did not deserve to face the full wrath of Melanie in a bad mood.

She heard her sister's voice once more in the distance. After a few more seconds and a few more harsh words the girl returned, but she had not returned alone.

Following Melanie was a short woman in a delivery uniform. Judging by the clipboard in her hands, Miltia had to assume that this was one of the suppliers dropping off some of the essential goods for running the club.

"Through the kitchen and out the back door," Melanie said as she pointed toward the rear of the club. "Move your shit there, and then bring your shit in. Go and unlock the door now so you don't have to bug me again."

The other woman smiled and nodded, and was on her way through the club without further incident.

Melanie came back over, and was clearly annoyed when she sat back down at the table. "Fucking new dust delivery people don't even know what to do or where to go," she complained. Taking a moment to compose herself, she jumped right back to where she had left off. "So, come on. Spill. Tell me about last night."

"There's nothing to talk about," Miltia said sternly.

"Ouch. He was that bad?"

"No!"

Melanie smiled. "So he was that good? Damn, I hoped I would have been the one to break him in."

It was too late for that now. Miltia wouldn't admit it to her sister, but there was a small part of her that had acted last night because of what Melanie had said. About wanting to take a shot at Jaune herself. It would have been just sex. Melanie would have just used him for her own pleasure as she always did. Jaune did not deserve that. He deserved something real. Something with actual feelings and emotions behind it. Something she could provide him that Melanie could not.

"So _are_ you two a thing now?" she continued.

They were. She had confirmed as much this morning after they woke up. "Mmhmm," she confirmed with a nod.

"Shit," Melanie said. "Oh well."

Still, the thought of her acting out on that fear of Melanie using him made Miltia feel a little bit guilty. Had she only used Jaune herself? Had she been a little more aggressive than she normally would have in order to shield him from Melanie's advances? If she had, was that a bad thing? Jaune was still interested in her, after all. She was still interested in him. If being in this relationship was a completely mutual decision, then what Melanie had said didn't matter, right?

Speaking of Melanie, she was distracting her at this very moment. Miltia had come down to get breakfast for herself and Jaune, and here she was gossiping with her sister about last night. Or in reality, trying her best not to gossip about it.

"I should get going," Miltia said as she looked down at the box of donuts. "I told him I'd be right back."

"Oh please. Just because you slept with him doesn't mean he gets to control when you come and go." A sly smirk curled on Melanie's lips before she spoke again. "Well, at least not when you _go_."

Miltia blushed once more. If this kept up her skin might permanently become a shade closer to the color of her dress.

"Speaking of cumming, please tell me you used protection."

A chill ran down Miltia's spine. "Um..."

"Oh my gods you didn't," Melanie gasped. "Fuck! I knew I should have bought you those condoms!"

"Melanie!"

Miltia recalled how her sister had teased her about Jaune so long ago. Melanie had wanted to purchase birth control for her back when she had still been in denial about her feelings for the boy. Back when those feelings were still only beginning to form. Somehow Melanie had known even back then. Or maybe she hadn't, and had simply gotten lucky in her teasing.

"I don't wanna be an aunt!" the other girl wailed. "Kids are so gross!"

"Melanie, I'm not pregnant!" Miltia insisted. "He pulled out!"

"You'd better not be. If you are Hei's gonna totally cut off Jaune's dick. Then neither of us can have any fun."

Miltia swallowed. How _would_ Junior react to finding out that she and Jaune were a thing now? How would he react if by some chance she did get pregnant? In all honesty she did not know what the man would do. She was so familiar with Junior, and not knowing how he would react to this did cause her to feel uneasy.

"That's it," Melanie continued. "If you and Jaune are gonna be screwing, then we're going out and buying you like a whole case of condoms later today. And we're gonna make an appointment to get you on the pill. I am _not_ gonna be an aunt this young. And I am _not_ gonna put up with some disgusting crying brat living here with us."

She hated the idea of going on such a shopping trip with Melanie, but she was right. It was better to be safe than sorry. "Fine..."

"Don't you 'fine' me," the older twin lectured. "If you're gonna screw around you gotta do it right. Wrap it before you tap it."

"Yeah, I guess you're totally the expert on taking dicks, aren't you?"

"Oh fuck you," Melanie spat. "You don't get to pull that shit now that you're taking one too."

"One," Miltia smiled, holding up a single finger.

Melanie looked as if she might continue arguing angrily, but in the end all traces of anger left her face before smiling. "You're so lucky I love you. I'm not even gonna try to steal him away from you."

"Whatever."

At this point Miltia didn't even know how long she had been downstairs for. Jaune was still waiting. She wondered if he would get worried if she took too much longer. She decided that she had had enough of Melanie for the morning. She wanted to enjoy her tasty chocolate treats. She wanted to enjoy her other tasty treat as well.

She stood from the table, grabbing the box. She was just about to speak when she heard a loud and terrifying sound.

She turned just in time to see the fiery ball of orange and red tearing towards them from the back of the club.

"Melanie!" she screamed as she dove forward, tackling her sister down to the floor.

* * *

Now fully dressed, Jaune wondered what was going to happen next. Sure, he would eat breakfast with Miltia. But what about after that? How was he going to deal with Melanie? How was he going to deal with Junior?

He could still recall the words from the very large and scary man from a few days ago. Words that promised his certain death should he ever hurt the girls. Now that he thought about it, those words were very reminiscent of those a father might give to a boy who was dating his daughter. Both Miltia and Melanie were just like Junior's daughters, weren't they?

His new girlfriend was taking a while. It had been a good ten minutes since she left. Maybe even fifteen. Maybe he should go down and check on her. Or would that be too clingy? He didn't know how he should act around her. He wanted to show that he cared, but he didn't want to smother her. Then again maybe she might not mind being smothered. She had certainly enjoyed clinging to his body last night and this morning. She had loved cuddling with him. Maybe it was just because they had been in the privacy of his room. It was a question he would be sure to ask when she returned.

All such thoughts were cast from his head when he heard a horrific booming noise from underneath him. The entire building shook, nearly causing him to lose his balance.

"What the..." he gasped before his mind began to put the pieces together. That noise. That shaking. It could only have been one thing. Something had exploded.

Jaune threw the door open and dashed down the hall as quickly as his legs would carry him.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** So after a chapter of nice fluffy happiness, I end it like that. As the saying goes, always leave them wanting more.

The what/who/why/how of the situation should be pretty clear. But if you want any clarification before next chapter comes out, just leave a review to send me a PM about it.

Last chapter I got the feeling that some people don't like Glynda that much. Sure, she comes off as a bitch because of her abrasive personality both here and in the show. But remember she's not a bad person. Glynda just doesn't have all the knowledge that we do about Junior and the twins. If I could make a Game of Thrones comparison, she's like Ned Stark walking into the throne room at King's Landing to see Jaime Lannister sitting on the throne next to the king's dead body. All Ned knew was what he saw and assumed happened. Not reality. So he judged accordingly.

Anyway, I want to thank everyone for reading and reviewing. Thank you for your support. It's that support which helps inspire me to get chapters out as quickly as I do. This one took only four days to write. Hopefully I won't leave you hanging too long with this cliffhanger.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter.


	21. Chapter 21

The heavy sound of boots on the floor filled Jaune's ears. It was the only thing he could hear as he ran down the hall toward the building's main staircase. His mind was racing almost as fast as his body was. There had been an explosion downstairs. That was the only explanation for the sound he had heard. For the shaking. For the vile acidic stench of spent dust and burning material that was already filling his nostrils. This was bad. This was very bad.

Jaune's long legs carried him down the stairs two at a time in his desperate dash to reach the first floor to see if Miltia was okay. Melanie too. Everyone who might have been in the building at the time. However there was only one girl at the forefront of his mind.

Only minutes ago they had been talking. They had been cuddling together in bed after a night of passion. Now his mind feared the worst. It went to the darkest places it could imagine. Her mangled body lying under a pile of debris. Lifeless eyes staring up at the ceiling. A corpse charred beyond recognition. Jaune shook his head to try and clear away the thoughts. No. That would not happen. It could not happen. Not now. Not after he had found some semblance of happiness. Not the day after he had found someone to share something special with.

He pushed open the staircase doors on the first floor and stepped into a waking nightmare. It was like the first time he had walked into the club all over again. It was in fact worse this time. Before there had been shattered glass and broken furniture. Now there was all of that and more. Small fires burned all around, some fuelled by the rows of alcohol which had once lined the wall behind the counter. The air was hazy with smoke. Jaune's eyes watered and his chest was racked with coughs in protest over the foul assault on his senses. He had to get out of there. He knew that. But not without the girls.

Knowing that every second mattered, Jaune wasted no time. "Miltia!" he shouted as loud as his smoke-choked throat could muster. "Melanie! Anyone! Where are you!"

Everything around him looked indistinct in its broken and smoke-obscured state. The only landmark in sight was the bar. That was as good a place as any to begin his search. Melanie loved to sit at the bar, and for her it was never too early in the morning to have something to drink.

Rushing over, Jaune closed his eyes and coughed once more as he inhaled a breathful of smoke. This could not go on for much longer. If he wasn't careful he was going to pass out from smoke inhalation and suffocate before he could locate the girls.

"Miltia!" he shouted again. "Melanie! Junior!"

Looking all around the bar he saw no one. No telltale sight of a white or red dress. Junior was missing as well. Panic gripped his heart. No, he had to stay calm. Panic would only make things worse. He had to use his brain.

The dresses. They would be two of the most colorful things in the mostly black room. Those were what he had to keep an eye out for. Jaune grabbed the fabric of his hoodie and brought it over his mouth and nose like it was some sort of makeshift mask and took a breath. It was better than taking in the unfiltered oxygen, but it would not solve the issue. He was running out of time. If the girls were alive they would be breathing in the same smoke and debris particles. They were running out of time as well.

Desperate eyes scanned all around for any sign of color. Anything that wasn't the black floor and furniture. He rushed past broken tables and chairs, looking under every nook and cranny he came across. All the while he had to keep clearing his eyes of the tears they were accumulating.

As he fell into a coughing fit once more he finally saw something. A blotch of red half covered by a black table. His heart skipped a beat. He blinked away tears as he dashed towards his target.

It was Miltia. And she wasn't moving.

His heart froze.

"Fuck," he whispered. "No no no no no..."

Time seemed to stand still, and in an instant he was there by her side. He could not even remember his legs moving to bring him over to where she lay. Miltia was lying prone on her stomach, and now that he was this close he could see that she was covering Melanie's body with her own. As if she had shielded her sister from the blast.

The sight of what she had shielded Melanie from was sickening.

The back of Miltia's familiar red dress was shredded. Her pale and creamy skin was black and red. Charred from the fire and heat. Bloody from shrapnel and debris. His worst fears were coming to pass. Images which had existed only in his mind's eye were becoming a reality. He only hoped that the worst of them would not come true.

Reaching underneath her stomach, Jaune pulled Miltia off of her sister and flipped her over. Her back lay in his arms now, and Jaune was thankful to not see a blank stare from dead eyes. Miltia's eyes were closed, and she was breathing. Barely.

A hand reached up to cup her cheek gently. "Miltia," he pleaded. "Miltia wake up. Please wake up."

There was no response. No reaction from her body to the smoke she was undoubtedly inhaling.

Jaune lightly shook her body. "Come on, Mil. We have to get out of here. Please wake up!"

There was still no reaction from the girl. There was, however, a sound from her sister. A soft and pained moan slipped through Melanie's lips as her eyes slowly fluttered open.

The blonde's eyes were torn away from his girlfriend for a moment to look at the other girl. "Melanie!" he shouted desperately.

"Jaune...?" her tired voice asked. She was out of it, and completely unaware of the danger she was in.

"Get up!" he ordered. "We have to get out now!"

The sense of urgency in his voice must have broken through Melanie's hazy mind, and she was soon sitting up under her own power. Her head moved around to take in the sights before her, and her eyes widened. They immediately fell on the girl who was cradled in Jaune's arms. "Miltia!"

Jaune was already in the process of standing up, and for not the first time he was happy the girl in his arms was so light and tiny. She lay there slumped in his arms and held protectively against his chest as he looked around to find the exit in the haze.

"Move!" he yelled as soon as Melanie was on her feet.

They wasted no time in dashing toward the building's main entrance. Melanie moved ahead of him, not weighed down by dead weight in her arms, and opened the door ahead of them. After a few more steps they were finally outside, and the fresh air was the sweetest thing Jaune had ever tasted. He took in huge gulps of air, and for the first time since stepping foot on the first floor of the club his eyes and lungs did not feel like they were on fire.

A small crowd of people were gathering across the street, undoubtedly drawn by the sound of the explosion and resulting fires. While the building itself was not burning or showing any visible signs of smoke, the stench emanating from the place was as strong as Jaune could imagine.

Falling to his knees, Jaune gently laid Miltia on the sidewalk across the street from the club. His hands never left her though, and he continued to prop her up in his arms.

"Come on, Miltia," he pleaded. "Wake up."

His words were desperate. Melanie's were equally so as she knelt down beside him. "Oh gods, she's barely breathing."

"Someone get help!" he screamed out to no one in particular. Someone in the gathered crowd must have called for aid by now. Something had to be coming. The fire department. An ambulance. Something. Anything.

He just didn't know if they would make it in time.

Despite being out of the smoke and in the clean air, Miltia's breathing was becoming more shallow. Jaune felt it as the heaves of her chest became weaker by the second. The girl in his arms was slowly slipping away.

"Somebody fucking do something!"

"Stay with me, Miltia!" he cried. He brought her up closed to his chest, and buried his face into her hair. "Stay with me. Please..."

More tears filled his eyes. This time they were tears of pain and sorrow rather than anything caused by the smoke. His red-stained hands held the girl's burned and bloody back tightly. He clung to her with everything he had. He couldn't lose her.

Miltia was more than just a friend now. She was more than even just a girlfriend or a lover. She had become his emotional rock. Someone to give him stability in life. She had always been there for him. Ever since the first night he had spent at the club, she had been looking out for him. It had been Miltia who had covered him up with a blanket the night Jaune had gotten drunk and passed out at the bar. It had been Miltia who had told him that the life they lived at the club was not for everything. She had attempted to shield him from the experiences that she undoubtedly knew he would encounter.

Miltia had always made sure he was okay following any sparring matches with both herself and Melanie. She had attempted to stop him from getting involved with Tukson the day they had interrogated him and gotten involved in the White Fang's business. She had begged him not to go with Ruby and her teammates down to the docks to confront the White Fang. She had then found him, and held him closely to her in his moment of grief much like he was doing to her now.

And then, only a night ago, she had shared her body with him for the first time. A special moment for both of them that could never be had with anyone else.

She had indeed always been there for him. Now he was about to lose her.

The distant sound of sirens seemed impossibly far away. The voices of other people were indecipherable as Jaune's face pressed up against his girlfriend. Even Melanie's own words were impossible to make out. He could have sworn he heard someone calling his name, but he could not be certain. For long seconds he just knelt there with Miltia in his arms. He did not know how long he held her. He did not know what anyone around him was saying. It took the loud gasp from Miltia to break him from his stupor.

"Jaune!"

Finally he knew for certain that someone was screaming his name. Lifting his head from Miltia's hair, he saw that she was glowing. Bright streaks of white were coursing over her body. His eyes widened at the sight.

"Jaune!" the voice repeated. He finally recognized it as Melanie's.

He looked over to the girl. "Huh?"

"What- what the fuck is happening?"

Jaune looked back down at Miltia. Her eyes were still closed, but her mouth was open. She was taking in huge breaths of air now. Her chest rose and fell with far more force than before. All the while she continued to glow a brilliant white color.

"I... I don't know!" he said. His voice was frantic. On one hand she was breathing better. But on the other he had no idea what was happening to the girl. "What should I do?"

"I don't know, but you're doing something," Melanie said as she pointed to his hands. "Keep doing it!"

Jaune could not see his hands behind the girl in his arms, but he could see that the same white light that was covering Miltia was covering his arms as well. And it must have been on his hands too if Melanie was pointing at them. Was this coming from him? Was he doing this? What was he even doing? And how?

"She's- she's breathing more," he said, pointing out the obvious. "The light. Is it the light?"

"I don't fucking know! Just don't stop!"

Jaune nodded quickly. He wouldn't stop. He would never stop. Not if it meant that Miltia was getting better.

His mind began to focus more on the light. Now that he was aware of it, Jaune made a conscious effort to concentrate on whatever it was. It felt warm. Comforting. Safe. There was something about the light emanating from his body that felt familiar. He closed his eyes and tried to steady his own breathing. Yes. It did indeed feel familiar. With a clearer mind he began to recognize it for what it was.

Aura.

He could not put into words what was happening or what he was feeling inside of himself in that moment. The best way he could describe it was that his Aura was connecting with Miltia's somehow. Almost as if it was being transferred from his body into hers. In doing so it was somehow bolstering her own. And in turn Miltia's Aura was seemingly beginning to heal her own body.

Melanie knelt down beside them, and scooped up one of her sister's hands in her own. "Come on, Mil. Come on."

Ragged and hungry breaths were beginning to stabilize now. Miltia was no longer desperately sucking in air as she once had. Her face almost looked peaceful. Bathed in pure white light, it looked as beautiful as ever.

"It's working," Jaune said as he looked down once more to his arms. "Whatever's happening is working."

It was indeed. Miltia's face was no longer etched with pain. She was no longer struggling to breathe. It appeared as if she was only sleeping, once again in his arms. This wasn't how Jaune imaged he would be holding her when he awoke this morning, but if it meant that she would continue to live then he would do it for as long as it took. Seconds seemed to last an eternity, and Jaune had no idea for how long the light covered Miltia.

All of that uncertainty and anxiety dissipated when a pair of green eyes fluttered open and looked left and right. "Wha..."

"Miltia!" Melanie screamed as she wrapped her arms around the girl tighter than a coiled King Taijitu. Her next words were indistinct as her face was buried into her younger sister's chest.

Jaune wanted to step away at this moment. To give the sisters their space. However he couldn't. Not while his hands continued to glow white. He was afraid that if he were to leave now then the work would be undone. That Miltia might succumb once more to her injuries. Jaune had no idea how or why he had done what he had, but he was not about to leave until he was certain that Miltia would be okay.

The girl in red brought her free hand up to gently push her sister off of her. "Melanie, please," she said softly. The older twin complied with the request, and backed off a couple feet. Her hand never left Miltia's though.

"Are you okay? How do you feel?"

Miltia blinked hard. "I... fine, I think?"

The girl in his arms sat upright, examining her body as she did so. When she did this Jaune got a clear look at her back, which only minutes ago had been a black and red ruin. Scorched and bloody beyond recognition.

Her wounds were completely healed.

Jaune smiled, and a relieved laugh slipped through his lips. He didn't know what to say. He didn't know what to think. However, he knew how to feel. Relief would be an understatement. As would joy. He was ecstatic.

The girl had been on death's door after being caught in that explosion. Now here she was seemingly as good as new. Flesh had been restored. Lungs had been healed. It was a shame the same could not be said about her favorite dress, but he couldn't care less right now about such a trivial thing. Miltia was okay. That was all that mattered.

He was broken from his thoughts at the sound of the girl's voice. "Jaune, as much as I love being in your arms, maybe you can let me up?"

Only now did Jaune realize that his arms were still wrapped around her waist and back. He had never let go of her after laying her down on the sidewalk. Even when she had sat up, his arms remained around her. Preventing her from leaving his grip and standing up.

Blue eyes darted over to her back once more before looking into her eyes. "Are you sure?"

There was a small shrug of her shoulders. "I think I'm fine?"

"Are you _sure_?" Melanie echoed.

Miltia rolled her eyes. "Oh my gods, please don't make this a thing."

After a tiny amount of squirming on her part, Jaune finally relented. Miltia stood up, and Melanie with her, still clinging to her sister's hand. Finally Jaune rose from his knees to tower over both of them.

"See? I'm fine."

What happened next was the last thing he would have expected. A fist slammed down onto Miltia's chest, but Jaune could tell there was no malice behind the hit. There was barely even any force. Melanie struck her sister with as much power as a toddler might.

"Why!" Melanie screamed as she hit Miltia again. "Why did you do that!"

Tears began to drip down the normally strong and confident girl's face. Several more blows struck Miltia, each one weaker than the last.

Miltia's reaction, however, was exactly what Jaune had come to expect. She was the responsible one. The mature one. The protective one. The mother that both needed after they had tragically lost theirs.

She pulled her older sister into a tight hug, and Melanie's face buried itself into the other girl's shoulder. Painful sobs tore through her throat, and her back shook with every one of them.

"What the fuck would I do without you?" Her words were so soft that Jaune could barely hear them.

Miltia wrapped one arm around Melanie's back, while her other hand ran through long black hair. "It's okay though. I'm okay."

Melanie's head shook, and she pushed herself away from the sister she had nearly lost. "Don't you ever fucking do that again! You think I'd be happy knowing that you died so I could live?"

A chill ran down Jaune's spine. Was that what had happened? When he had found them, Miltia's body was indeed covering Melanie's. Her back had taken the brunt of the damage from the explosion, while Melanie had been almost completely unscathed. Once more it fit the image he had formed of his girlfriend. One who would protect the ones she loved by any means necessary.

"I'm sorry, Mel."

"Fuck you! I fucking hate you!" Melanie screamed before she once more gripped Miltia tightly. "I fucking love you..." she said far weaker, but far more genuinely.

"I love you too."

Now it did feel as if he was intruding on some sort of sisterly moment. Growing up with seven of them, Jaune knew all too well about the whirlwind of emotions that could strike without warning. His family had never experienced a traumatic moment like this, but he had been a spectator of love to hate to love again on more than his share of occasions.

He took few steps back to give them their space, and was about to go check in with the emergency vehicles that had arrived, but was stopped in his tracks by Melanie's harsh voice. "Stop." Melanie turned to face him, and she broke from her sister's embrace.

"I was just giving you some space," he offered up in explanation.

Melanie took a couple steps toward him. "You saved her."

He had. He still didn't know how exactly, but right now that didn't matter.

"Yeah, well, I mean..."

The girl glanced back at her sister. "Mil, I know he's yours and all. So... sorry, but not sorry."

As per usual with the girl, what happened next was the last thing he expected to happen.

Melanie grabbed hold of his face with both her hands and brought it down to meet hers. A pair of lips crashed against his, and they were quickly parted by the invading tongue of the older Malachite twin.

It wasn't a particularly long kiss, but what it lacked in duration it more than made up for in passion. Passion was about all it had going for it. There was no love or affection like the ones he had shared with Miltia. However it got the message across that Melanie was trying to convey.

She pulled back, and looked up at Jaune's stunned face with eyes still wet from her tears. "Thank you, you beautiful blonde bastard."

Jaune looked over to Miltia, who wore an equally stunned look on her face. He hoped that Melanie had only been caught up in the moment with her show of appreciation for him. The last thing he needed to do today was save the life of another Malachite sister.

* * *

Ruby did not consider herself to be any kind of "problem child". Sure, she may have goofed off in class from time to time. She may have unintentionally have been a thorn in her partner's side on occasion. However none of this was ever done with any sort of malice in mind. So the fact that she had once again been called to Miss Goodwitch's office was a little bit concerning for the girl. What might others in her class think? What might Yang think? The last thing she wanted was for any kind of negative stories to filter back to their dad.

However, as much as many people liked to believe, Yang included, Ruby was not naive. She knew why she was here. It was not for any action she had committed. No, it was for the same reason as the last time she found herself sitting alone in the office waiting for the older woman to enter. She was here because of Jaune.

The last time Ruby had sat in this seat, Glynda had spoken to her about the path Jaune was walking. About how he was on the road to his own destruction. About how someone needed to do something, and that Ruby was perhaps the only person who could help him. She had taken those words to heart. She had attempted to reach out to him earlier in the morning. She had been met with less than successful results.

The sight of a shirtless Jaune with a presumably shirtless girl draped across his chest was an image that would be forever burned into her mind. Just thinking about it caused her face to grow warm, and presumably turn a shade similar to that of her trademark cloak. She knew what was happening. What must have happened. She was indeed not the naive child that Yang still saw her as.

It was because of this knowledge that Ruby had decided to give Jaune and his girlfriend the time and space they deserved. It would not have been proper or appreciated for her to lecture him about his life choices when one of those life choices was asleep on his chest. That talk would have to wait for another day. Maybe even tonight. Maybe she would even do it in person to ensure that she did not catch Jaune... occupied once more.

Ruby nodded to herself, the plan firmly entrenched in her mind. That would work. Convince Yang to drive her over to the club where she could get a little one on one time with Jaune.

She cringed at her mind's choice in words. Not that kind of one on one time. Jaune already had a girl for that. One with shorter hair and who apparently wore black and red. Ruby shook her head, not wanting to continue down the path of thinking about the similarities between her and the girl who was intimate with Jaune.

Thankfully her wandering mind would have no more time to think about it, as Miss Goodwitch entered the room. The woman wore a familiar dour expression on her lips, and said nothing as she sat behind her desk across from Ruby.

A second later the woman cleared her throat and looked into Ruby's eyes. "Miss Rose. At this point I presume you know why I have called you here."

Ruby nodded. "It's uh, about Jaune, right?"

Glynda nodded back to her. "Yes. I'm going to cut straight to the point here. There has been an incident."

An ice-cold fist gripped Ruby's heart. An incident. The very word sounded like it carried a negative meaning behind it. The first thing that popped into her head was that perhaps there had been another incident like the one at the docks. Another fight. Another dead body. Maybe even Jaune's this time.

She was almost afraid to ask, but she had to know. "What kind of incident?"

"There was an explosion at the club Mr. Arc works at."

Her eyes widened, and that cold fist that held Ruby's heart squeezed. "What? Is he okay?"

Glynda nodded again. "I believe so. The most recent reports say that there were no fatalities, and that those involved only suffered minor injuries."

That was good. Very good. Ruby felt the tightness in her chest begin to lesson as a wave of relief washed over her.

"At this point the cause of the explosion is still under investigation," the woman continued. "However I believe the cause is quite clear. Experienced and, loathe as I am to admit it, intelligent men such as Hei Xiong do not let their properties accidentally explode. This was intentional. This was somebody sending a message."

Ruby got the woman's meaning loud and clear. There was only one possible culprit behind an intentional explosion. The White Fang.

"But Jaune's okay?" she asked again. "And the others?" she quickly added, knowing that he cared a great deal for the two girls.

"As I said, there are no reported fatalities. If you want to be certain, however, I would suggest trying to contact him yourself."

She would. She absolutely would. Catching Jaune at the right time was now off the table. Ruby had to get in touch with him as soon as possible. As soon as this meeting with Miss Goodwitch was over. She would drag Yang by her perfect blonde hair if she had to, and force her onto that motorcycle of hers under the threat of giving her the best haircut ever in her sleep.

"I told you this would happen, Miss Rose," Glynda said grimly. "That things would only get worse going forward. This is only the beginning."

Glynda's words came back and hit Ruby with the force of a speeding truck. She had indeed said that things would get worse. At the time Ruby thought like she would have more time. That she might be able to formulate some grand strategy in order to get Jaune away from a life working with criminals and fighting terrorists. Now that had all changed.

If the image from this morning was anything to go by, Jaune had a deep emotional connection with at least one of those girls. He would not abandon them easily, if at all. Whatever solution she came up with would have to involve all three of the teenagers. It was the only possible way Jaune would ever listen to her.

In addition, he was now firmly involved with the White Fang. Why was it that all of her friends were so determined to fight them? First him, and now Blake had deemed it necessary to make the White Fang her own personal issue as well. The poor girl was staying up all night attempting to research possible locations of their hideouts, as well as ways to thwart their plans. They were working with Roman Torchwick. There was some greater plan at work here. She just didn't know what.

"I'll talk to him," Ruby told her firmly. "Today. As soon as we're done here."

"Good. Hopefully having his new home and workplace destroyed will be enough to convince him to abandon this life he's chosen and to go back to his actual home."

Ruby hoped so too. If an explosion had torn through the club's building, then the place had to be uninhabitable right now. While she did not know the exact details of his living conditions, it made sense to the girl that he lived on one of the floors above the actual club. The place did look like an old apartment complex after all. And when she had spoken to him this morning, he had not been alone. He was living wherever the girls lived.

That meant that while Jaune had a place to go home, the girls did not. And if Jaune would not leave the girls like she thought, then this presented a problem.

Not wanting to try and explain the personal situation of Jaune to Miss Goodwitch, Ruby decided to leave the intimate details out of the proposal forming in her mind. "Miss Goodwitch, I just have a question."

"Speak."

"Well, Jaune has a place to go," she explained. "If he goes home and all. But what about the girls?"

Ruby knew that Miss Goodwitch knew who she was talking about. The woman had spoken their names only a few days before. They were Junior's enforcers. Raised by him from a young age to be his special weapons. Or at least that was the picture that Miss Goodwitch had painted. The woman apparently held an incredible distaste for the very idea of it. Being a teacher, and someone responsible for shaping the lives and minds of young people, it was understandable. To take advantage of children and turn them into monsters must have been nothing short of abhorrent for the deputy headmistress.

She saw how a long breath slipped through Glynda's nostrils before speaking. "What about them?"

"They're Jaune's friends. He's not just going to abandon them. Especially not now."

The teacher's usually neutral expression turned into a frown. "And what would you suggest be done about that?"

She was open to ideas. That alone spoke volumes of how much Glynda must have actually cared, even if she did not show it outwardly.

"Well, uh, hear me out," Ruby said meekly. "But we have a lot of empty rooms, right? With the transfer students coming in for the Vytal Festival, we have to have places for them to stay."

The woman's frown deepened. Like she already knew what Ruby was going to suggest. To her credit, however, she urged Ruby to continue. "Go on."

"So... if the rooms can hold four people, what if we let them stay here until they were able to get back on their feet or something?"

It was a bold suggestion. One that was unlikely to work too. However, it was worth a shot. Anything to get Jaune away from the danger that he was very obviously in.

It was a shame that Glynda put up resistance to the idea mere seconds after it was uttered. "You expect me to let known criminals not only step foot on Beacon Academy ground, but allow them to stay in our dorms?"

When she put it like that, it sounded like a ridiculous idea. However, Ruby had an ace up her sleeve.

She knew Glynda's feelings about how Jaune was walking on the path to self-destruction. She knew that Glynda felt some responsibility for that fact, with her being the one who kicked him out of Beacon in the first place. The woman had made it equally clear about what she thought about those twins being picked up off the street and raised by Junior to be his lackeys. Brainwashed, as she had put it. Glynda hated it. She hated to see children suffer.

It was something Ruby could use to her advantage here.

"I mean, what better place for a couple criminals than Beacon?" she argued. "Where every person around them could put up a fight, and most of them could probably beat them? I know Yang already did."

Glynda's eyes narrowed on the girl. Clearly she had not been privy to the little incident that had occurred prior to them attending Beacon. Ruby decided that she would say no more on the subject.

Instead she continued on with her argument. "A-and, what if you could, I don't know, reform them? Getting all of them away from Junior would be a good thing, right? What if you were able to get them on the right track? And Jaune's a still a good guy. He'd help them too!"

The way that Glynda sat back in her seat and look down to her desk was a good sign. Her hand moving up to rub her chin was an even better one. Those were signs of someone deep in thought. Glynda was actually considering the idea.

Ruby pressed onward. "They don't have to even attend classes or anything either. You don't have to train them to be even better fighters if you don't want to. But... I don't know. Getting them off the streets and into a, uh, healthy environment would be a good thing, right?"

The redhead mentally patted herself on the back. She was an absolute genius. Her full intellectual prowess was on display here. She was making Miss Goodwitch an offer that the woman could not refuse. Both as a teacher and a huntress. The proposal not only meant trying to rehabilitate two young criminals who had been taken advantage of early in life, but it would also deprive their criminal boss of his best muscle. It was a win-win situation for everyone.

"And Jaune," Ruby said, knowing that this could be the final blow needed. "He'd be safe. Away from all the bad influences. In a place where he couldn't hurt himself anymore. Where the White Fang couldn't hurt him anymore. In a place where... maybe you could help him."

Ruby knew how to manipulate others. It had just never been on this scale before. When she had been younger, she knew how to use those wide silver eyes of hers to get an extra cookie out of her father. She had known how to use her sad, quivering lip to pout in order to get out of trouble with the man. What she was doing here, however, was on a totally different level. She was appealing to Miss Goodwitch's ideals. Her position as a teacher. As a huntress. She was appealing to the guilt which the woman may have unintentionally shared in a moment of private weakness.

She had no regrets about taking advantage of the woman, however. Not when a friend's life was on the line. She would have used every dirty trick in the book to help out a friend.

The verbal and emotional assault had been scathing, and for long and tense seconds she did not know if it had been enough to break the woman. Ruby was on the edge of her seat as Glynda finally responded to her argument.

" _If_ ," she began, letting the word hang in the air for a few moments before continuing. "I were to allow Mr. Arc and his friends to stay at Beacon, they would be your responsibility."

The way the woman said it made it sound as if they were Ruby's pets. That didn't matter though. She was more than just considering it now. She was setting terms.

"Mr. Arc and those girls would be bound by Beacon's rules and guidelines," she continued. "They would not be allowed to participate in some of the curriculum. Only what I deem necessary. They would not be students at this school. They would not be allowed in certain sensitive areas that only huntsmen in training may enter."

Ruby nodded along with all of the conditions. "I think I can convince them to do that."

"And I will repeat myself, since this is the most important of my conditions. They are your responsibility. Your team's as well. You are vouching for them. If they misbehave, you will be held responsible. Is that agreeable?"

More than agreeable. It was a little bit worrying, since the extent of Ruby's responsibilities up until now had been a small corgi. However it was a agreeable nonetheless. "Yup. I'll look after them and make sure they don't do anything wrong."

There was obvious conflict on Glynda's face. However it would seem that she could see that while this may have been a risk, it was also a golden opportunity. To not only help a pair of innocent girls reclaim their lives, but to also deprive a criminal of his best assets was not an opportunity that a huntress would pass up easily.

"Do not make me regret this decision, Miss Rose. Dismissed."

Ruby nodded emphatically. She stood up and rushed out of the room as quickly as her short legs would take her. All the while she dug into the pocket of her combat skirt to fish out her scroll.

She had a call to make. She had a meeting to set up.

* * *

Evening had come quickly for the three teenagers in Vale.

Jaune, Miltia and Melanie had spent the majority of their day either being interviewed by law enforcement officials, or being examined by medical professionals at a local hospital. They all had clean bills of health, save a few minor bruises for Melanie. After all, she had not benefitted from Jaune's healing touch. Miltia on the other hand they could find nothing wrong with. Despite the fact that the flesh on her back had been as black and red as her now ruined dress, they could find no injuries on the girl. Somehow, some way, Jaune had been responsible for that.

It blew his mind. He still had no idea how or why it had happened.

One of the next best pieces of news they had received was when Junior showed up. At the time Jaune had no idea if he had been inside the club at the time of the explosion or not. In the moment it didn't matter to the boy. After finding Miltia and Melanie in the state they were in, all thoughts of the club's owner vanished from his mind. Jaune's only goal had been getting himself and the girls out, and then doing whatever he could to aid Miltia. When it was revealed that Junior had been out that morning, a wave of relief washed over Jaune for a concern he had not even been aware of at the time.

His final surprise of the day occurred while he was sitting in the waiting room of the hospital. Receiving another call from Ruby, and not in a compromising position this time, he readily answered his scroll. The girl revealed that she had heard about the incident, and was concerned for his safety. Much to her visible relief he told her that he was fine. Ruby did not waste a second asking to meet him in person later that day. For what exactly, she did not say. All he knew was that she was adamant on setting up the meeting.

So here he was now, seated in the booth of a small local diner next to Miltia. Melanie sat across from the girl, with Junior sitting at her side. Jaune briefly wondered if the older man suspected anything with the seating arrangement. Normally the twins would have sat together. The fact that Miltia had chosen to sit next to him spoke volumes of how close they had become in only the past day. How would Junior react to finding out that they were an item now? How would he react to learning that one of the girls he considered to be a daughter was now having intimate relations with a boy?

Melanie apparently already knew, if her words from earlier in the morning were anything to go by. Still, it hadn't stopped her from planting a huge kiss on his lips. Thankfully Miltia decided not to murder the girl for the act. She must have recognized the act for what it was, an emotional show of appreciation for the boy who had just saved her sister's life.

The irritated rapping of fingernails on the table clearly displayed how Melanie's mood had changed since then, however. Ever since learning that Jaune would be meeting with Ruby here tonight, both of the girls had insisted on coming along. It was obvious that both of them would rather be anywhere else, but at the same time, neither wanted to leave him alone with a girl who they viewed with such disdain.

"She's fucking late," Melanie spat as she looked down to her glass of water.

It was a rarity to see the girl drinking anything so healthy. Jaune was happy about that. The last thing they needed right now was Melanie's already sour attitude being amplified by alcohol.

Jaune looked up at the wall-mounted clock in the place. Ruby was indeed late for the time they had set up. By only a couple of minutes.

"Give her a little more time," he said softly.

He could not help but be slightly amused that the girl who possessed super speed as a Semblance could be late. How ironic was that?

Miltia turned to look at him. "Any idea what this is about?"

Jaune shook his head. "Nope. Just that she wanted to talk to me about something." He paused briefly before finishing his thought. "To all of us, actually."

The girl next to him nodded wordlessly. One of her hands casually slipped down to her side and underneath the table. A moment later Jaune felt it grab onto one of his own and give it a tight squeeze. He couldn't keep the small smile from slipping onto his face. Even here and now in the presence of both Melanie and Junior, the girl was doing small things to show her affection for him. And doing it in a way that was hidden from the two people who sat right across the table from her.

Miltia had been increasingly affectionate towards him since the explosion. In his mind Jaune could explain the sudden change in demeanor in any number of ways. He wondered which one, or which ones, were the truth.

"Whatever," Melanie sighed. "It had better be important. We still need to find a place to crash tonight."

Currently none of the four people at the table had a home. While the upper floor had not been affected by the explosion, Vale's emergency services had deemed the building unsafe to inhabit for the near future. Without a proper inspection and repairs, there was no telling if the building could come tumbling down as a result of the explosion. Jaune agreed that it was better to be safe than sorry. So that meant they needed a new place to live for the near future.

Junior was already getting on that. He had come along for the food, but the man had spent the better part of their stay at the diner on his scroll looking through potential motels to stay at tonight.

"Any luck, Hei?" Miltia asked the man.

Jaune noticed how she used his actual name. He noticed how neither one of them had a second thought about its utterance in his presence. He wondered what that meant. Did it mean he was considered a part of their "family" for lack of a better word? Did it mean Junior trusted Jaune with that kind of information? Or perhaps the man knew that the secret was already out, and there was no point in trying to hide it from him anymore.

Junior grunted softly. "A few. Decent prices in a good part of town."

The blonde didn't know how to feel about the last part of that. Good part of town or not, everyone here had the capability of stomping the life out of the usual criminals and gang members in Vale. A thug with a gun was no match for trained warriors with Aura and weapons of their own. Still, he appreciated the fact that Junior cared about such details like they. He was after all dealing with the safety of his girls. Safety, which after today's events, the man was taking far more seriously than before.

"Get one with a pool," Melanie insisted.

"You actually grabbed your bathing suit when you packed?" Miltia asked.

"No. But I'll like, buy one." She shrugged, a sly smirk forming on her lips before looking to Jaune. "Or maybe not. Boy toy would like the show, wouldn't he, Mil?"

The hold Miltia had on one of his hands increased dramatically for a second at the sound of those words. It took all Jaune had not to wince in pain at the feel of the Aura-enhanced grip.

Junior on the other hand took the comment in stride. He must have been used to the teasing and banter between the twins. He had heard enough empty threats and crude remarks in his lifetime. The man did not even look up from his scroll.

That was, until he heard a labored sigh slip through the older twin's mouth. A cold scowl accompanied it. Eyes went from Melanie to the target of her hate-filled eyes.

Ruby and Yang had just entered the diner.

Jaune raised an arm to get their attention. A moment later they were on their way to their booth.

Mustering as warm a smile he could manage in this tense situation, he greeted his friend. "Hey, Ruby. Yang."

The redhead nodded nervously. "Hey, Jaune. Uh... how's everyone doing?"

Rather than let Melanie respond with some sort of sarcastic remark about what had happened to them earlier, Jaune took the initiative and replied before she even had a chance. "Fine," he said quickly. "I mean, as fine as we can be. All things considered."

Ruby nodded again. Silence overtook the group a moment later, and she stood awkwardly next to the table.

Thankfully it was Yang who picked things back up again. "So, Ruby needs to talk to you," she told her fellow blonde. "Maybe we can go to another table to sit?"

"Fuck that," Melanie said. "Whatever you have to say, you can tell all of us."

While not the most diplomatic of responses, Jaune did agree with Melanie's sentiment. "Ruby did say that she had something to talk to all of us about." His attention switched to the younger girl. "Right?"

"Yep," she agreed. "So..."

"You wanna sit down?"

Jaune scooted aside a little bit, offering a seat for the younger girl beside him. She eyed it before returning her focus to him. "Oh. Yeah. Sure."

She sat beside him, and it was obvious to Jaune that she was avoiding the death glare that Melanie was sending her way. Turning to get a glance at the other girl next to him, he saw that while Miltia wasn't looking at Ruby, she didn't exactly look thrilled to see her again.

Jaune looked back up to Yang, who remained standing with her arms crossed before her chest. "Yang?"

"I'll stand," she said flatly.

The boy nodded. Out of everyone here, Yang had the most reason not to be friendly towards the twins. She also had the most reason not to expect any courtesy from them. The tension in the air was palpable. However, he would put up with it. Ruby seemed adamant about meeting with him tonight. She was his friend. Nothing would ever change that.

The fact that Yang stood there with her shotgun gauntlets on her forearms made it apparent that she still did not trust those who she was meeting with. At least they were not deployed. Honestly, Jaune could not blame her. Yang and three of the four people she was meeting with did not have a good history at all. That they had been civil for this long was incredible.

Ruby looked down at the table as she spoke. "So... I heard about what happened," he told the group as a whole. Jaune already knew that she knew. "And I talked with a teacher at Beacon. We... came up with an idea."

An idea? Jaune was intrigued. If the truth turned out to be what Junior had hypothesized, this was payback from the White Fang. Or maybe even Roman Torchwick himself. It had taken up until the explosion for him to remember, but Jaune did recall the master thief saying that he was going to destroy Junior's operation back at the docks. Perhaps this was it. This was the first retaliatory strike.

Could those at Beacon have been contemplating getting involved themselves? Roman had to be on their radar now. With what had happened first at the dust shop when he ran into a huntress, and now the docks, he was causing a great amount of trouble in Vale. It would make sense for professional huntsmen to get involved.

"And..." Ruby continued. "We think it'd be a good idea if maybe Jaune stayed at Beacon for a while."

Jaune's heart skipped a beat. Beacon wanted him. It had been only a few months earlier that he had been kicked out for falsifying his transcripts. Now, suddenly, they wanted him back.

Why was life so cruel?

Before either Ruby could go on or Jaune could question her, the expected opposition spoke up. "Okay, fuck that," Melanie snarled. "You think I don't see your little plan to get Jaune arrested? Who the fuck do you think you're fooling?"

"Hey!" Yang snapped. Her eyes were narrowed on the elder Malachite, and for a brief moment Jaune could have sworn he saw them go red. "Don't talk to her like that."

Ruby shook her head softly. "Yang it's o-"

"What, you gonna trash this place too?" Melanie interrupted.

The question seemingly gave Yang pause, and Jaune saw how her fists clenched and unclenched before she took a deep breath. "Just watch it," was all she said in response. At least her voice was calmer this time.

"Let's all just calm down," Jaune said. He did not want another nightclub incident. He didn't want to see this diner turned into another warzone either, as Melanie had so spitefully alluded to. "Was that all, Ruby?"

She fidgeted beside him. "Well, I was gonna say... you two could come with," she said as she glanced up at Melanie. That glance quickly turned away to look at Miltia. Ruby was met with a much kinder reaction from her red-clad counterpart.

"Us?" Miltia asked. "Go to Beacon?"

"And I'll say it again," Melanie said. "Fuck. That."

Jaune was having trouble wrapping his head around this. Not only did someone at Beacon want him to return, but they wanted Miltia and Melanie to come along too? Something wasn't right. Either Ruby, or much more likely, whoever the teacher was that Ruby had spoken to, wasn't telling the whole story.

Jaune put a hand up to try and stop Melanie from instigating yet another argument. She complied, perhaps still grateful for his actions earlier in the day. "Why though?" he asked the young huntress next to him. "Why let me back into Beacon after I got kicked out?"

He wasn't about to explain the exact circumstances of just why he got kicked out to Ruby. This was a delicate situation, and he didn't know how she would react to it. Right now the simple question was enough.

"Uh, well you see, it wouldn't exactly be you coming back to attend classes again and become a huntsman..."

A frown formed on his face. Of course that wouldn't be the case. There was no way they would suddenly want him back now. Especially after he had killed a man.

Maybe Melanie was right. Maybe they were trying to lure him there to make him confess. To arrest him. Glynda had come down to the club on her own, after all. This time he would be on her turf. He would have to play by her rules.

"After what happened today, we figured you wouldn't have a place to stay," Ruby continued. "And since we have plenty of space, and thought that you might be in some kind of danger... well, it seemed like it made sense."

It did make sense. After a suspected bombing and Miltia nearly dying, they would most certainly be safe at Beacon Academy. Jaune couldn't think of a safer place in the world. It may as well have been a fortress manned by actual soldiers.

She was right in them not having a place to stay either. The club was a mess. Uninhabitable. Junior was looking for a place to stay tonight. However, that would cost lien. This night and every other night. Beacon on the other hand would be free.

Or did they want something in return?

"Is there a catch?" he asked.

Ruby shook her head. "No. Not at all. We just want... what's best for you."

He believed that. He believed her. Ruby was perhaps the kindest and most pure-hearted girl he had ever met. Had he the chance to actually attend Beacon Academy with her, he would have trusted her with his life in the field. In fact, he would still trust her with his life.

He would trust her now.

"Yeah, sure you do," Melanie said sardonically. "We're not going."

"Yes you are."

All eyes turned to the man who had not taken part in the conversation. Until now.

"H- Junior!" Melanie said incredulously.

"It's a good idea," he told her. "The best one we've got."

Blue eyes darted between the two of them, waiting for something to blow up between them. Surprisingly, nothing did.

"But..."

"This isn't up for discussion, Melanie. After what happened today, we have targets on our backs. _You_ , have targets on your backs," he said as he pointed to both Melanie and Miltia. "And until we can get our shit together, I'm not taking any chances with you girls. You'll be safe at Beacon."

Jaune's earlier thought about the twins being like Junior's daughters was only further reinforced. Junior clearly had no love for the authorities, based on what he did for a living. It had been made apparent that he had no love for Glynda Goodwitch either, and that the feeling was mutual. If he was willing to put his girls up at Beacon Academy of all places, a place crawling with combatants and those who sought out justice, he must have been worried for Miltia and Melanie's safety. After nearly losing Miltia, Jaune couldn't blame him.

"It could be fun..." Ruby said softly. Her hopeful eyes darted back over to Jaune. "Right?"

Jaune smiled, and was about to confirm her beliefs before Melanie stopped him before he could even start. "Oh yeah, totally," she said sarcastically. "No liquor. Curfews. Homework. Soooo fun." She scoffed. "As if I'm gonna do any of that shit."

Jaune had no idea if they would even be required to do anything like that. As Ruby had said, they would not be students. They were just going to sort of be there. What they would do and how they would spend their days, he had no idea. However he was willing to give it a shot. After all, they could easily be attacked again in a random motel. But Beacon Academy would never come under attack. Right?

"Maybe it won't be so bad," Jaune told her. "Maybe we could give it a chance?"

"Oh yeah. Easy for you to say that when you're getting some."

Jaune's blood ran cold. He really hoped that Junior did not pick up on the meaning of that statement. Glancing around he saw how Miltia's face had darkened as she looked away. Ruby had much the same reaction. Yang remained ever watchful over the group like a hawk, and Junior... was just Junior. As stone-faced as ever.

"This is for the best," Junior said with a sense of finality. If he did understand the implications of Melanie's words, he had ignored them entirely. "It gives me a chance to run some errands. Ones that I do not want the three of you involved in."

Jaune had no idea what those errands might be. He did not want to know either. If they were so important, or so bad that the man did not even want the twins involved, Jaune shuddered to think what they might entail.

"Great!" Ruby said with as much hopefulness as she could muster in this strange and tense situation. "It'll... it'll be fun," she said again. It almost sounded as if she was trying to convince herself of it as much as them.

Jaune hoped that she would be right.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** After the reveal of Jaune's Semblance in volume 5, who didn't see that coming? To be honest, this explosion thing was going to happen regardless of Jaune's ability. It just would have been treated in a different way. I'm actually excited about the possibilities his Aura amplification thing can do. It's so much more than just healing. I intend to exploit that.

I have a lot of fun ideas for this little Beacon arc coming up. Like I said in the story, they aren't going to become proper students in the school. At least I don't plan on that happening. But a change of scenery will be nice, and will tie into the end game of this story. After all, Jaune and the twins aren't the only ones involved with the White Fang and Roman Torchwick in the volume 2 timeline.

As always I want to thank everyone who cares about this story. As of publishing this chapter, it will surpass 200,000 words. I don't know how, but I've written 200,000 words for a story about the Malachite twins. The fact that so many of you seem to enjoy it blows my mind. I can't thank you all enough for the support that you've given me over the course of this story. It really does mean so much to me.

Also, since posting the last chapter I published a couple one shots. One is even a Jaune x Melanie story. Maybe you should check them out, if you're into that sort of thing.

Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed the chapter.


	22. Chapter 22

Beacon. It felt so surreal to be back here.

A few months prior, Jaune had come to this school full of hopes and dreams. After successfully attaining his forged transcripts from Junior, the boy had stepped foot on the campus with one goal. To become a huntsman. He wanted to live up to the lofty expectations he had set for himself. He wanted to continue the Arc family tradition. He wanted to be a hero. Yet all of those hopes had been dashed only a day later. The fall and rise of the sun had changed everything. What had it left him with? What had he become now?

Despite his best intentions, Jaune knew what he was. He was not a hero. He was a murderer. He was not a huntsman. He worked for a known gangster. Jaune had bloodied his hands in anger. In a desire for vengeance. In hatred. At least one man had lost his life at the tip of Jaune's sword. How many others were there that he was not even aware of?

He shook his head at the thought. He could not change the past. He could not undo what he had done. All Jaune could do at this point was move forward. To try to atone for what he had done. To make better decisions. To help those around him in any way he could.

A glance to his left showed the girl who he had helped. The girl whose life he had saved.

Miltia was close enough to be able to touch, and occasionally their arms did brush against one another as they moved. Only a day ago she had been on death's door. Caught in an explosion that was still under investigation. Jaune knew who it must have been though. There really was only one explanation. It was yet another consequence of his own actions. He had poked the hornet's nest one too many times, and this time its denizens had stung back at him. Those he cared about had been caught in the crossfire.

The group of teenagers passed by familiar sights on their way to the dormitory. As many months as it had been, he still remembered the layout of the place as if it had only been a day since he last stepped foot on the school's grounds. The trees still lined the pathway to the main hall. The statue of two warriors still dominated the landscape. Lamp posts glowed softly in the evening. Soon enough their destination came in sight.

Jaune had never actually been inside the dormitory before. He had no reason to visit in the one day he had spent on campus before. He had not been a part of a team. He had not been assigned a room. Now though, everything was different. It was horribly ironic, actually. Now, after everything he had done, all of the lying, cheating, and violence, he was being granted a room at Beacon Academy. Together with Miltia and Melanie, he was going to be sharing a dorm on campus. It was almost like they were their own little team. He was going to be next to other real life huntsmen teams. It wasn't just ironic, however. It was a painful reminder of what he had wanted. He was being teased with something by being so close to it, but at the same time it being forever out of reach. He would live the life of a Beacon student for a time without actually being one.

As they neared the dorms, the number of students walking about the campus began to increase. Most wore what he assumed were the Beacon Academy school uniforms, but here and there he saw others wearing different outfits. Some were black. Others white. Some wore no uniforms at all. Ruby had mentioned earlier about how there were transfer students from other academies, and that's why there was a spare room that he and the twins would be able to use. Perhaps these were them.

For a brief and depressing moment Jaune attempted to imagine how he would have looked in one of the uniforms. He quickly shook his head once more. The last thing he needed to do was depress himself further. He was not a student here. He never would be. There was no point harping on the past.

Jaune felt a sharp nudge to his ribs, and for the first time in his life was thankful that Melanie wanted his attention. Anything to get his mind off of these depressing thoughts would be a good thing. At least he hoped so. This _was_ Melanie after all.

"Hey," she said before pointing over at a small group of female students. "We totally need to get some of those."

He followed the girl's finger, but could not actually figure out what Melanie was referring to. "Uh... what?"

"Uniforms," she clarified.

"Remember we're not actually students here, Mel."

The girl scoffed softly. "Oh I know. I just think that we'd look totally hot in them. Right, Miltia?"

Jaune's head swiveled over to look at his girlfriend. The younger twin shrugged. "I guess."

"Yeah. And you know Jaune would like it too." Her gaze moved from her sister back to him. "Wouldn't you? Come on. Naughty school girl Miltia in nothing but a skirt and stockings. Tell me you wouldn't wreck her if she was wearing that."

A part of Jaune wanted to be shocked and horrified at what the girl on his right was saying. Yet, he couldn't bring himself to be. This was Melanie Malachite after all. She was loud, brazen, and utterly unashamed of anything coming out of her mouth. The fact that she did not care if anyone around them heard this kind of talk only reinforced that image.

But truth be told... it would be incredibly hot. Miltia was already clad in a red tank top and short black skirt that put the Beacon Academy uniforms to shame. However, for some reason the thought of her in the school uniform painted an even more attractive picture than what was already in front of him.

Thankfully one of the girls had a sense of decency. Or a filter. "Oh my gods, Melanie," Miltia groaned. "Can you just not?"

"What?" Melanie asked innocently. "I mean, come on. We're all thinking it. Look at all these chicks in plaid skirts. Seriously, how are there not like a million teenage pregnancies here at Beacon?"

The question had been directed to the fourth member of their group. Ruby's face was beginning to turn a shade similar to that of her red cloak. She had not been exposed to this type of chatter on a regular basis. She had not grown immune to the lewd and suggestive speech of the elder Malachite twin.

"I... uh..."

"I mean, you gotta have condom dispensers in the bathrooms, right? Seriously. Co-ed dorms too? With a bunch of hot teenagers? How the fuck does anyone get any sleep around here with all the sex that's gotta be happening?"

Ruby did not answer, and instead pulled her hood over her head before tightening it around her face. It was a mistake, however. Such a visual display of embarrassment may as well have been taking a knife to your own flesh in shark-infested waters. Here in this small sea, that predator's name was Melanie Malachite. And the girl did indeed smell blood.

It showed as she playfully wrapped an arm around Ruby's shoulders. "So then, little miss Ruby Rose," she said warmly. "Can we like, borrow one of your uniforms? We'll give it back. Promise."

The tiny squeak which Ruby emitted made her sound more like a dog's toy than a human being. She shrunk in on herself, appearing to be even smaller than usual when faced with the domineering personality of the girl in white.

"Then again, you probably won't want it back once those two are done with it," she said aiming a thumb back over at Jaune and Miltia. "Even if they do clean it." The large grin on her face quickly vanished, and was replaced with wide-eyed worry. "Oh gods, I just remembered that we have to share a dorm. I'm gonna have to hear you two boning every night. Fuck!"

Jaune wanted to be embarrassed, but at the same time confusion dominated his mind which prevented the embarrassment from taking hold. Just who did Melanie think they were? Did the girl seriously believe that the two of them would get intimate with her in the room with them? Sure, the elder twin might not have a sense of decency, but they certainly did.

"Seriously, Melanie. Shut up," Miltia said. "What Jaune and me do is none of your business."

"It is when I can feel how fucking horny you get," Melanie argued.

"Oh yeah? Keep complaining. Maybe we'll start doing it more just to like, spite you. How would you like that?"

Wait, did Miltia seriously make that sort of threat? Sure, he had been around plenty of times when the girls were arguing over stupid and petty things. But this seemed extra petty. Jaune had heard of sex being used as a weapon before, but never like this. And exactly what did Melanie mean when she said that she could feel how horny her sister got?

"You wouldn't."

"Yeah? You sure about that?"

For long seconds two pairs of emerald eyes bored into one another. Neither flinched. Neither blinked. It was most likely a time-tested tradition between twins. Jaune could relate. He had partaken in more than his fair share of stupid sibling rivalries and arguments growing up. He had experienced even more than he had taken part in as well.

It was why he decided to be a mediator for the one happening right now. "Uh, girls?" he asked. "I think you're breaking Ruby."

A glance over to the girl showed that Melanie's arm was still around the girl as they walked. Ruby's hood was still up and covering what was undoubtedly a horrified, red, and probably scarred for life face. It was the second time in recent memory she had been exposed to the idea of Jaune and Miltia being intimate. He remembered how she had reacted the first time.

"Aw, she's so innocent," Melanie cooed. With a roll of her eyes, she broke off from the stare down and returned her attention to the young huntress. "Come on, little huntress," she said as she pulled the girl's hood down from her head. She ruffled Ruby's hair playfully. "You alright? Your brain still working or whatever?"

Little huntress. The fact that Melanie had just called Ruby this did not lose its meaning on Jaune. A little pet name meant to aggravate him. One which he had grown immune to. Did this mean the girl was going to move on from him? That Ruby was going to become her new target? After this display of weakness from the younger girl, it would not surprise Jaune at all if his friend became the new focus of Melanie's attention.

Ruby slapped the offending hand away from her head before pulling away from Melanie. "I'm fine," she said weakly. "Just... just stop talking about that kind of stuff. Especially about your sister!"

Jaune could understand where Ruby was coming from. The last thing Jaune would have wanted to hear about were any of his sister's sex lives. Ruby probably felt the same way about Yang's if the girl was indeed in any kind of relationship. Any normal person would have wanted to stay as far away as possible from that kind of talk concerning their family. Then again, Melanie and Miltia were hardly normal. Since meeting them, Jaune could hardly consider himself normal either. Normal people didn't go around picking fights with terrorist organizations.

"She's right," Jaune said in Ruby's support. "Maybe we can... not talk about that kind of stuff? At least not in front of other people?"

Melanie scoffed. "Whatever," she said dismissively. "I'm still totally getting one of those little school girl skirts for Miltia. You'll thank me later," she said with an exaggerated wink. "Maybe you could even thank me by giving me a round in it."

Jaune did not know how to respond to such a bold and explicit statement. Miltia apparently understood its meaning as well, as Jaune felt her hand grasp hold of his and squeeze down tightly on it. If not for his Aura he might be dealing with a few broken fingers.

"Uh..." his mind scrambled before focusing on the redhead. "Ruby! Ruby. Can you, uh, tell us more about Beacon? What we might be doing here?"

The girl nodded quickly, probably happy to be moving away from such graphic and personal topics of conversation. "Yeah. Right. Uh, so you guys will be here for a while, I think? And instead of just sitting around your room, Professor Goodwitch has decided to allow you to take some classes. She thinks it'll be good for you all."

Goodwitch. A name which still brought back all sorts of unpleasant memories for Jaune. It had been Glynda Goodwitch who discovered his transcripts were forged. It had been that woman who kicked him out of the academy. It had been that woman who came to Junior's club seeking answers for what had happened at the docks.

"What kind of classes?" he asked.

Ruby shrugged. "I dunno. Maybe things like history? Or Grimm studies?"

"Lame," Melanie interjected.

Silver eyes narrowed. "It's not lame! Learning to become a better huntress will save your life!"

"Yeah? Well I'm not here to become a huntress. And after some dumb bitch kicked Jaune out of Beacon, he's not here to become a huntsman either."

Her words were harsh, but they were the truth. Jaune wasn't here to become a huntsman. He never would be one. Not when his name was probably flagged in every huntsman academy in Remnant now after his lies had been exposed.

"Oh!" Ruby said with sudden excitement. "There's a school dance coming up. Everyone's really excited for it." She paused briefly, and her happy tone took a bit of a hit when she spoke next. "Well, most people are."

A dance at a school for training huntsmen? The idea sounded absurd, but if Ruby said it was happening then it must have been true.

"And you think we'd be able to go to it?" he asked.

She nodded emphatically. "Yeah. I mean, I don't see why not." Her eyes quickly glanced down before returning to meet Jaune's. "And it looks like you already have a date," she added nervously. "Not even Yang has one."

Jaune followed to where Ruby's eyes had gone, and realized it was down to where Miltia was clasping his hand. After seeing the two of them together the other morning, it was more than obvious to the younger girl that they were an item now. They would indeed have no trouble finding a partner if they were to attend the upcoming dance.

"Yeah. I guess I would," he said softly as he offered a small smile to Miltia. She returned it in kind.

"Heh, yeah," Ruby agreed, her nervousness still on full display. Her attention turned to Melanie next. "What about you?"

Green eyes narrowed on the girl. "What _about_ me?"

"Oh, uh, nothing. Just wondering if you'd be going with Jaune too..."

This time when Miltia squeezed down on his hand, it really did feel like something was about to snap. Jaune let out a small breath of pain as he looked over to his girlfriend, whose eyes had turned hard as they looked to her sister and Ruby. Clearly she had not been amused by what Melanie had been saying earlier. About Jaune giving her a... round in the school girl outfit.

The elder twin scoffed, casually flipping her hair over her shoulder with a hand. "As if. As much as I'd totally want to, I don't think Miltia would share."

"Yeah," Miltia agreed. "Because I'm so not into sharing whatever you're carrying down there with him."

"Bitch, I'm cleaner than this chick's brain," Melanie countered, once more patting Ruby on the head.

"Whatever."

"Whatever!"

"Uh, girls?" Jaune asked meekly.

"What!" they shouted in unison.

"Maybe we could not do that. At least not here and now."

The twin's shouting had drawn a few looks from students milling around the campus. The last thing Jaune wanted was to be the center of attention here.

After a few seconds of silence, Melanie scoffed once more. "Whatever."

Crisis avoided. Jaune really hoped that he would not become the catalyst for a new series of arguments between the sisters. As thrilling as the idea of being fought over by multiple girls was, he knew that it would only end badly for everyone involved. He did not want to strain his new relationship with Miltia. He did not want to lose what had turned out to be a genuine friendship with Melanie. And he did not want two sisters who were impossibly close to one another after their childhood tragedy to fight. He wasn't worth it.

"So... Ruby," he started, attempting to get the conversation back on track. "There's a dance. And classes."

"Yup," she agreed readily. She was probably just happy to get back on a subject that wasn't personal or sexual in nature. "Other than that I really don't know what you're gonna be doing. At least not them," she said as she pointed over to Melanie. "But, uh, I know that Miss Goodwitch does wanna talk to you later, Jaune. In private."

That was ominous. But it was okay. Jaune wanted to talk to her too. There were some important things on his mind. Ones which did not involve why the woman likely wanted to speak to him.

Jaune still did not know how or why he had been able to heal Miltia the way he had. It had something to do with his Aura, that was all he did know. Was it maybe his Semblance? That was something he had never been able to discover in the past. Maybe Miss Goodwitch would know something about that. Maybe she would be able to help him. However... what would that woman want in return for her help?

As if reading his mind, Ruby spoke again. "Jaune... the night we all went to the docks. What happened?"

Before Jaune could respond, before he could even think, his train of thought was cut off. "Don't say anything, Jaune," Miltia said hurriedly.

The girl's grip on his hand tightened, and Jaune felt how she pressed her body up close to his. All the while Miltia looked past him and at Ruby, a dangerous glare in her eyes as she did so.

A glance over at Melanie showed that she had reacted in much the same way, only without the physical contact. It was obvious to everyone here that Ruby knew what must have happened. However, it also seemed obvious that no one could prove a thing. That was why nothing had happened. It was why no consequences had fallen upon him.

At least, no consequences from the law. His own mind and heart were different stories entirely.

Ruby looked genuine in her concern for him. "Jaune, I just wanna help you..."

"Fuck that," Melanie said this time. "Anything you say can be used against you or whatever. She's probably wearing a wire."

The younger girl's eyes widened in shock. "What? No! I would never do anything like that to Jaune. He's my friend."

Jaune knew that was the truth. He knew she meant nothing bad with her question for him. However at the same time, he didn't want to talk about it. At least not now. Not here.

"Uh huh, whatever," Miltia said defensively. "Maybe you should just like, show us our room and go away."

He wanted to refute his girlfriend's words, but he knew that she was just looking out for him in her own way. She was protecting him as she always did. Despite her behavior being less than friendly towards Ruby, he could hardly fault her for it. Miltia was a criminal who had seen firsthand what Jaune had done. Ruby was a huntress in training. It was only natural for Miltia to be suspicious.

Jaune wondered if that suspicion went both ways.

"We're almost there," Ruby replied.

Jaune was happy about that. Things had gotten suddenly tense between the girls, and he was sure that Ruby was as eager to get away from them as they were to get away from her. Having some time to relax and unwind in the privacy of their room would do wonders. After having lost so much the previous day, they all just needed a chance to rest. To know that they were safe. To be able to sleep without keeping watch for potential intruders.

The dormitory was surprisingly dull in comparison to everything else Jaune had seen at Beacon so far. A simple hallway lined on either side with doors was nothing compared to the tall towers and sprawling courtyard of the campus. Then again, what should have he expected? Sculptures of past heroes on pedestals? Doors with art sculpted into their wood? No, these were just living quarters. For teenagers. Warriors in training. There would be a priceless piece of work lost every week if the students here were anything like Ruby and Yang.

The redheaded girl stopped before one of the doors before turning back to the trio. "So, um, this is your room," she said as she motioned to it with a hand. She fished a few plastic cards from her pocket before handing them to the three teens. "These are temporary keycards. Miss Goodwitch said she'll be by in the morning to get the locks synced up to your scrolls. That's also when she wants to talk to you, Jaune..."

The boy nodded. So a morning meeting with the woman who kicked him out of Beacon was the first thing on his agenda tomorrow. He would have to mentally prepare himself to face her once again.

"Try it out," Ruby continued, and pointed over to the locking mechanism.

Jaune stepped forward and pressed the back of the card up against the panel. An audible click sounded a moment later, signaling that the door had been unlocked. Grabbing the handle, he pushed it open and stepped inside.

Flipping on a light switch, Jaune got his first glimpse of what he had missed out on. It was relatively quaint. Simple.

Four beds dominated most of the room's space. Obviously rooms like this were meant for full teams from Beacon Academy. Jaune's "team" consisted of only three, and he had his doubts that Junior would ever be allowed to step foot on the campus, much less spend his nights here.

Other than the beds, there was a bookshelf which was bare of any reading material. A small desk sat against one of the walls with only a small lamp occupying its surface. Heavy red curtains blocked what he assumed was a window. At this time of night it didn't matter that they were closed, and he had no desire to open them.

This could have been his life. Coming back to this place every day to study and do homework. To hang out with his teammates. To discuss all sorts of cool huntsman things. But it wasn't his life. He was here for his own safety. Because the actions of both he and his friends had placed targets on their backs. Because he had nowhere else to go but back home.

How could he ever go back home after all he had done? How could his family ever look at him the same way after all of the lies he had told and all of the crimes he had committed?

Jaune was stirred from his thoughts as Ruby spoke. "So... there's some beds," she said motioning to the furniture in question. "And some other stuff. Like a window. And a rug. Yup. There's the grand tour."

The room's humble appearance seemed even more so after Ruby's "tour". He couldn't help but smile at the thought.

"I guess I'll let you guys get settled in," she continued. Her gaze moved to focus on Jaune. "But call me if you need anything, okay?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I will."

Ruby smiled and returned the nod, and was about to head out. She was stopped in her tracks, however, when someone else spoke up.

"Mel, go with Ruby," Miltia said suddenly.

Melanie turned to eye her sister curiously. "What? Why?"

"Just... go get a tour of the rest of the campus or whatever," she replied. "Explore or something. 'Kay?"

For long moments Melanie looked suspiciously at the girl. Jaune was equally as suspicious about the request. Much to his shock, however, Melanie agreed. "Whatever," she breathed.

After dumping her bag on one of the beds, Melanie strutted towards the door. On her way out she grabbed Ruby by her cloak and began pulling her with.

"Hey!" the smaller girl protested, pulling them both to a stop. "What's going on?"

"Let's go, Ruby. We wouldn't want your virgin eyes to get spoiled, right?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Just gimmie the fucking tour already," she insisted.

"Okay, okay. Just as long as you tell me what's going on."

For a brief moment Melanie's eyes seemed to light up like festival lights. A mischievous grin curled on her lips, and she all too readily agreed to Ruby's request. "Deal."

In a matter of moments the two had left the room, shutting the door behind them and leaving Jaune and Miltia alone.

Jaune turned to look at the girl questioningly. "So what was that about? Don't you want to explo-"

He didn't have a chance to finish voicing his question before a pair of lips came crashing down upon his. Jaune's eyes were wide, caught off-guard as the girl before him hungrily claimed his mouth with her own. It took only seconds for her to push him up against the wall as her kiss with him deepened. Her lips were soft but powerful. Gentle, yet passionate.

Seconds seemed to last an eternity, and finally Miltia broke her kiss with him in order to speak. "You saved my life," she breathed heavily. "I'd be fucking dead if it wasn't for you."

She assaulted his lips again, and a paradoxical sensation of both pleasure and pain washed over his flesh as her teeth bit down on his lower lip before pulling away once more.

"And now I finally have you alone," she continued. A hungry expression dominated normally docile green eyes as she stared up at him. "I don't know what you did or how, but I remember how it felt. Even if I wasn't awake for it, I felt you inside me... and I'm not talking about your cock."

Her lips returned once more to his, and this time her mouth trailed down his cheek and neck, planting soft kisses on his flesh every step of the way. Jaune could feel her warm breath against his flesh every time her mouth separated from his skin. He felt how her hands squeezed down on his sides as she continued to pin him against the wall. How her nails dug into him like he would fly away should she let go.

"Mil, what-"

His whispered words were cut off once more by her. "I felt your Aura. Do you have any idea what that feels like? To have it touch mine? I feel so fucking close to you right now. I want you. I need you. I've had to hold back all day. But now? You're mine. You're all mine. And no one's gonna interfere."

A surprised gasp slipped through Jaune's lips as Miltia once more returned to his neck. The smallest amount of pressure and pain came as he felt her focus her pressure on one particular area of his skin. He was sure that there would be a very noticeable mark there after she was done with him. He was also sure that this was Miltia's intent. A visible sign to her sister that Jaune was hers and hers alone.

Hands which had been firmly holding onto him moved him away from the wall, and Jaune allowed himself to be led by the smaller girl. It came as a shock when those hands shoved against his chest and sent him sprawling back onto one of the beds. Miltia quickly followed up by straddling his hips and kissing him once more.

It became very clear why the girl had sent Melanie away. Jaune was no fool. He knew what was on the girl's mind. She was eager for this. Apparently she had been since yesterday when he had somehow used his Aura to save her life. Both Jaune's mind and body were eager for this as well.

Hands which had been idle from shock came up to wrap themselves around Miltia's body as she continued to take what she wanted from the boy. Not that he wasn't willing to give it to her anyway. Deciding that she couldn't have all the fun, those hands slipped down her back to cup her firm backside which was conveniently covered only by a short black skirt.

Giving her a gentle squeeze, Jaune felt and heard a soft squeak come from the girl's throat which had nowhere to go while her lips were still locked with his. The girl pulled back momentarily, giving him a sly and knowing smile. "Find something you like?"

He had. He liked every bit of her. Both inside and out. "Yup," he answered breathlessly.

Miltia ran her tongue across her lips, savoring the taste of the boy she seemingly couldn't get enough of. "I'm glad you like it." One of her hands slipped between Jaune and the mattress he sat on, giving him a tight squeeze in turn. "'Cause I like yours too."

She shoved him down so that he was prone on the bed, and came back down to kiss him once more. In this position it was surprising that she had no commented on the bulge that had formed directly beneath her. Wearing that skirt of hers, there was precious little standing between it and her.

"And stupid Melanie," she said. "I can still taste the fucking liquor on your lips. Looks like I gotta keep kissing you until the taste of her is gone."

It had been more than a day since Melanie had kissed him in gratitude for saving her sister's life. While Miltia may not have wanted to kill her twin over the action, it was obvious that she did not appreciate it. The fact that Miltia had grabbed hold of his hand and squeezed tightly on it at the thought of sharing him with her sister showed that Miltia was indeed the possessive type.

Jaune was not about to complain.

He had never seen Miltia be so aggressive before. Perhaps that was what a near-death experience did to a person. Maybe it made them act more and hesitate less. Whatever the case was... he would be lying if he said he did not like it.

This side of Miltia almost reminded him of Melanie. Or at least how he assumed she might act in this sort of... intimate situation. However, there was no doubting this was the younger of the twins. Melanie's hair could be cut shorter to match Miltia's. She could wear her sister's clothes. But as Miltia tore off her top, there was no doubting it was her. Not even the best designed lingerie could help Melanie match her sister's larger bust, currently being held back by a black lace bra.

She smiled down at him, and it seemed like the unrestrained lust which had once been at the forefront of her voice had been tempered by only slightly less passionate affection. "Besides, we totally have to break in our new bed, don't we?"

Jaune could not help but allow an amused smile so spread across his own lips. " _Our_ bed?" he wondered.

"Mmhmm," she confirmed. "You think I wanna sleep alone again after sharing a bed with you? After cuddling with you?"

The feeling was mutual. After sharing a bed with her, after being as close as he had to Miltia before, the thought of literally sleeping next to her was a far more enticing one than sleeping alone. To have her wrapped in his arms, to have her face nuzzling against his chest, was something he had indeed missed the previous night at that seedy motel they had been forced to stay at while Ruby was still setting up their residence at Beacon. The last thing Jaune had wanted to do was flaunt his relationship with Miltia in front of Junior, who had also been there that night.

"Guess not," he agreed.

"Good," she whispered as she brought her face down to his once more.

The kiss which followed was tamer than before, but no less loving.

* * *

Melanie was very happy that she had given Miltia a literal handful of her condoms when they had grabbed their belongings this morning. She had said it before. She did not want to be an aunt.

As she walked through Beacon's halls with who was perhaps the last person she wanted to be with, Melanie cursed her stupid Semblance. For the second time in recent memory, she was feeling the sensation of her sister's stronger emotions. It wasn't that she could feel what Miltia was feeling at the moment. It wasn't as if she was only minutes away from an orgasm of her own. However, in the back of her mind, she knew that her sister was happy. That Miltia was having a pleasurable experience. She could feel the love. The passion. The care. All for that boy. It was just a feeling that was there. Like a memory that she knew was there, but could not quite grasp. That she could remember, but not focus on. It was like a sixth sense.

Melanie could not deny that she was just a little bit jealous about it all.

Normally in a combat situation it would prove very useful. She would be able to sense Miltia's intent, whether it was to attack, defend, or retreat. She could even know if there was somebody in her blind spot about to attack her, so long as Miltia was able to see the person. It was why they were able to coordinate their movements so well. Why they were able to communicate their intent with no words. They just simply _knew_ what to do, as if it was pure instinct. It was why, save for one fight with a certain blonde bitch, they made such a powerful team.

But this? Knowing that her sister was getting screwed right now, that was a terrible side effect of their shared Semblance. Was this how Miltia felt every time Melanie herself was getting any action? Had Miltia silently suffered throughout the years, never commenting about her twin's sex life? Or perhaps she did not speak simply because there was no stronger emotion behind it. Because Melanie's partners were not people who she loved or cared about. They were tools. They were a means to an end. They were to be used for her pleasure before being cast aside.

Pleasure was not something she could say she was feeling right now. Well, not counting Miltia's own that she was sensing due to their twin empathy Semblance.

Glancing over to the company she shared, Melanie saw that Ruby was nervous. She was a shy and awkward little girl. Melanie had known that since the very first time they had spoken, when she had answered Jaune's scroll while he was busy taking a shower. Back then she had wondered who Ruby was. She had wondered what her relationship with Jaune was. To find out that she was an aspiring huntress had come with little surprise, considering what his dreams had been. But then to find out just what kind of a person she was, and that _she_ of all people wanted to be a huntress, had been surprising.

Now she was stuck on a "tour" with the girl. Forced to spend even more time with the little brat, simply so her sister could get laid. Melanie decided then and there that she was the best big sister in the world. She was sacrificing her own happiness for Miltia's. She deserved it, after what had happened. The memory of the previous day was still strong with her. The thought of nearly losing Miltia sent chills through her body. It was a pity that the girl would never let her thank Jaune properly.

"...okay?"

Melanie was stirred from her thoughts as she heard the trail end of Ruby's question. She glanced over at the black and red-clad girl. "Huh?"

"I said, are you okay?" There seemed to be a genuine look of concern on the redhead's face.

She scoffed. "I'm fine. Let's just see what this stupid place has."

Ruby frowned, but nodded. Melanie figured that she probably didn't care for this school being referred to as "stupid". Ruby had made clear her passion for being a huntress. This school was her life.

There was relative silence as the two made their way through the dormitory and back outside. Then again there probably wasn't much left to say about the place. Melanie wondered what sights the girl would show her on this little "tour" she was taking. Truthfully, she wanted nothing more than to get away from the idealistic little kid, but going back to her new home was out of the question. At least it would be for the next hour or so. Then again, she had no idea how long the boy would last. He was still new to the game, after all.

Stepping back out into the open, Melanie could not help but appreciate the fact that the place was quite beautiful. This was a far cry from the cramped buildings and large crowds of downtown Vale. There was so much open space here. There were rows of trees strategically placed along the walkways to offer shade during the day. Dust lamps illuminated the darkness. There was no fear of being mugged or accosted in the night. No, here there were only students and teachers of Beacon Academy. Good and honest people who had chosen the life of being loyal lapdogs to Vale's council. People who lived a facade of being defenders of humanity. Melanie knew better. These people were little better than wolves in sheep's clothing. At least she was honest about who she was.

Melanie was brought back to reality when Ruby spoke once more. "So... that's the cafeteria," she said pointing to one of the buildings in the distance.

In the evening it looked like any other building, save for that huge tower which dominated the landscape. Melanie hummed noncommittally. However, at least she knew where to get some food now, and would not have to live out of a vending machine. She wondered if the cafeteria served pumpkin spice lattes.

"And that's the library," Ruby continued, pointing to another of the buildings. "For, you know. Books and stuff."

That was a place Melanie would not be visiting. She didn't care about books. She wasn't here to learn. Then again, if this place _did_ want to train her to be a better fighter, that was something she could get behind. Any new skills she could take back with her to the streets would be worth the time and effort.

"And we were just at the dorms. So... yeah. There's other places too. Classrooms. Training rooms. But at this hour they're all closed. 'Cause, you know. Class isn't in session."

This girl talked a lot for someone who was obviously nervous. Maybe it was just nervous babbling? Melanie didn't know. She didn't have that problem. She said what she wanted to say, and felt no regret or shame afterward. The idea of being shy was totally foreign to her. Not even Miltia was actually shy. Sure, she was quieter than Melanie. She had more of a filter when it came to her words and actions, but Miltia too would say and do what she wanted when the situation presented itself.

After all, she had taken Jaune to bed a few nights ago. A shy girl did not make a move like that.

"So what do you do for fun around here?" Melanie asked.

"Oh. Well, aside from just hanging out with friends and stuff, there's training. And studying. Learning all about new weapons and Grimm and fighting styles. How cool is that!"

The girl seemed to build up some enthusiasm with her answer. To Melanie the response was a rather disappointing one. To Ruby, however, the idea of studying weapons and combat _was_ exciting. What a strange girl.

Melanie hummed. "Whatever."

Ruby frowned again, and her face turned to stare at the ground. For a few moments they continued on in silence before the redhead spoke again. "Oh!" she said suddenly. "And we go out to Vale sometimes. I know that's probably more of the kind of thing you're used to. Like, going out to eat. Or see a movie. Or a club..."

The way Ruby trailed off made it seem like she had just touched on some sort of taboo topic. Like she remembered the fact that Junior's club had just been bombed a couple days ago. Like somehow mentioning it would set Melanie off and remind her that it happened. As if she needed the reminder. It wasn't like she was about to forget. It wasn't like Ruby mentioning it would be what brought back horrible memories.

Melanie took the comment in stride. "So you actually do cool shit around here?"

Ruby shrugged lightly. "I, uh, guess. Yeah. We do normal people stuff too. Like any other teenagers. Not everyone's a super weapon freak like me."

There was a twinge of embarrassment in the girl's voice. Like she was admitting to the fact that she did not consider herself to be normal. Like she was saying that Melanie herself _was_ normal. If only Ruby knew the truth. Both Melanie and her sister were anything but normal. They had more in common with the aspiring huntress that she would ever care to admit.

"Uh huh," the older girl offered noncommittally.

Silence once more fell over the pair as they walked. This was painful. She wanted nothing more than to end the suffering of having to put up with this girl. She did not want to be entertained by Ruby. And she was fairly certain that Ruby did not want to be her escort right now. So why should they both have to put up with a situation they did not want?

Not being one to shy away from a confrontation, Melanie decided to get the ball rolling. "You don't have to actually like, show me around," she told the girl.

Ruby looked over to her. "Huh?"

"I'm a big girl," she explained. "I'm totally fine on my own. Go home. Or wherever it is you live here."

"But what about you?"

Melanie rolled her eyes. "Like I said, totes fine on my own. I think I can find my way back to the dorm later tonight."

"Oh," Ruby said simply. She almost sounded disappointed. Like she had just been rejected. Maybe this whole situation wasn't as painful for her as it was for Melanie. "Uh, why did your sister make you go alone? Or with me. I guess that's not alone then, right?"

That's right. Ruby had said that she wanted to know what was going on, back when she had been dragged from the dorm room. Well, no time like the present.

"Oh, that?" Melanie said. That tingling in the back of her mind was still there. Her sister felt happy. Warm. Loved. The positivity made Melanie smile genuinely. What she was about to say next made her smirk mischievously. "They'll be busy for a while."

Ruby gave her a curious glance. "Why?"

"Miltia and Jaune are fucking."

Silver eyes widened, and Ruby's mouth moved silently a few times before finally sputtering out a sentence fragment. "They- what?"

"They're fucking," she repeated happily. "Screwing. Banging. Boning. Whatever you wanna call it." She took an index finger and began thrusting it in and out of a circle she had made with her thumb and finger on her other hand. "Get it?"

"I know what sex is!" Ruby shouted. Those eyes widened again before she covered her mouth with her hands. When they lowered she spoke her next words in a hushed whisper. "I know what sex is," she said again.

Oh how precious. This Ruby girl was so innocent, but she wanted so badly to prove that she was old and mature. Of course she knew what sex was. Who didn't? Ruby had probably gotten some stupid little talk when she was younger about birds and bees from her mother. Maybe even from her sister. It had probably also been some dumb, convoluted lesson that began with "when two people love each other very much..."

"Of course you do," Melanie smiled innocently. "I'm sure you know _all_ about sex, don't you? Has the little rose been deflowered?"

It took a moment. However, a look of realization finally crossed Ruby's face before she spoke once more. "What? No! I'm fifteen!"

"So?"

That nonchalant response seemingly caught the girl off yet again. And again, a voice which had only moments ago shouted in protest had been reduced to a soft murmur. "So wait. Does that mean when you were fifteen..." Ruby's question trailed off without voicing its actual query.

 _Yes_. "I dunno," Melanie said instead, her shoulders shrugging slightly. "You really wanna know?"

Those silver eyes couldn't meet hers, and instead looked to the ground when Ruby shook her head. "No. That's okay..."

"Figured."

Maybe now Ruby would be uncomfortable enough to want to leave her alone. Or maybe not. Now that Melanie knew she could have so much fun screwing with the girl over topics that were so casual to her, she might not mind spending a little more time with the kid. And really, that's what she was. Ruby had said so herself. She was fifteen. Younger than any other student here at Beacon Academy. Younger than Melanie and her sister. And far, _far_ less experienced in so many facets of life. Ruby may have been a superior warrior, but that was only one aspect that made up a person.

There was some potential fun to be had here.

What better revenge on the blonde bitch than getting to her through her precious little sister?

* * *

"Mr. Arc!"

It felt like it was the second or third time he had heard those words. But then why did it also only seem like he had heard them for the first time?

Jaune's eyes peeled open to reveal an unfamiliar ceiling. On his chest he felt a familiar warm weight. And in his ears, he heard a vaguely familiar voice scream once more.

"Mr. Arc!"

His head came up from the pillow, and instantly his eyes widened in shock and horror.

Glynda Goodwitch was standing there in the doorway.

A glance down and to his left saw that Miltia was stirring from her favorite position. When the girl had said that he and his chest made an excellent pillow, it seemed that she had not been exaggerating. That was how he remembered falling asleep the night before. After another night of passionate love with his girlfriend, she had pressed herself against his body, throwing an arm around his body and resting her head against his chest and shoulder. Sleep had come easily once more. He could not remember any dreams, but at least there had been no nightmares.

Well, at least not until now.

Sitting upright, he realized that Glynda Goodwitch was getting an eyeful of his bare chest. Thankfully she could not see under the covers.

Unfortunately for Miltia, her exposed torso revealed far more than a man's when she too sat up.

"Mr. Arc, Ms. Malachite," the teacher whispered through gritted teeth. "Please, put some clothes on."

"Ugh, the fuck is all the noise for," a new voice said groggily.

A look to the other occupied bed saw that Melanie was awake now as well. She, unlike Jaune and Miltia, was in fact wearing her night attire. It was actually a little bit funny how the most shameless of the trio was the only one currently covering any of her shame.

Glynda sighed. "At least one of you has the sense to wear something to bed. And to not _share_ a bed."

Stifling a yawn, the girl looked over to her sister and Jaune. "Yeah, well. A three-way with my sister isn't my kinda thing. And she doesn't wanna share."

"I don't care, Ms. Malachite," she said sternly.

"I didn't say anything," Miltia protested.

"The _other_ Ms. Malachite!"

"Oh fuck me this is gonna be confusing," Melanie moaned.

The crack of a riding crop gained all three of the teen's attention. Green eyes burned with anger and frustration as they looked over the trio. "Mr. Arc. Get out of bed, put something on, and come to my office. Now."

The woman did not waste another moment standing in the room. She probably also did not want to see a presumably naked Jaune stepping out of bed. The door, bathed in purple light, slammed behind her without even touching it.

Utter embarrassment crept onto Jaune's face now that she was gone. Yeah. He had just been caught in bed with his girlfriend. By a teacher. At school. Could this day start off any worse?

"We totally have to get you one of those whip thingies," Melanie said.

Jaune shot her a glare. Miltia on the other hand did not.

That was concerning.

However there was no time to worry about that right now. He had a morning meeting with Glynda that he totally forgot about. He wasn't used to getting up this early at the club. Making the girls and Junior breakfast was one thing. But morning meetings and classes? That was something he wasn't in the habit of doing.

Jaune had begun moving to get out of bed, only to realize that Miltia was not the only other person in the room with him. He would really need to not sleep naked anymore after he and Miltia did things together.

He looked over to Melanie, and was thankful that she had actually remembered to put something on before bed. "Hey, uh, Mel?"

"Hmm?"

"Can you look away while I get dressed?"

The girl frowned. "Why?"

"Because I'm kinda not wearing anything right now."

"So... what you're telling me is to turn down a free show?"

Jaune ground his teeth together. Was this what it felt like to be Glynda this morning? "It'd just be kinda awkward if you saw me naked."

"Why? You've seen me."

His eyes narrowed. "What? No I haven't." Those eyes then darted over to Miltia to gauge her reaction to the statement. There was no suspicion of confusion in her eyes. That was good.

"Dude, twins," Melanie said as she pointed to herself and Miltia. "You've already seen my sister. Same face as me."

That was true. Jaune had never thought about it that way. He had seen one of the identical twins naked. That meant he had seen Melanie as well, in some weird, twisted sort of way. Even if he actually hadn't. He could fully imagine what the other girl must have looked like.

"I mean, yeah Mil's got bigger tits," Melanie continued. "But I've got a much sweeter ass. Comes from years of leg work."

"Okay, no," Jaune said. "How are we even having this conversation right now? Can you just... turn away? I really gotta go."

Melanie sighed. "Oh my gods, you're such a prude." The girl stood from her bed and began making her way to the bathroom. "Fine. Here, I'll go and take a shower. I won't see your little boy bits. Happy?"

He'd be happier if she didn't call them little. Or bits. However, right now he would take any victory he could get. "Yeah. Sounds good."

When Melanie reached the door she turned, giving him a tiny wink. "Remember. I'll be naked in there. Just in case you wanna imagine it."

The door closed a moment later, leaving Jaune and Miltia to deal with the aftermath. The survivors left in Hurricane Melanie's wake.

Jaune's head hung down dejectedly. "We have to share a room with that." He heard Miltia hum softly beside him. Looking over to the girl, she did not seem upset at all. "But I guess you're used to being around her."

"Mmhmm."

"And you're not... mad about the stuff she was saying?"

Miltia tilted her head slightly. "Why would I be mad?"

"Wasn't she kind of hitting on me?"

She shook her head this time. "Nah. That was all just fun for her. If she was hitting on you... you'd totally know it."

Jaune hummed this time. She was probably right. Subtlety and Melanie did not mix. If Melanie was truly interested in him then she probably would have shoved her tongue down his throat first, and gotten his permission to do it afterward.

"Would you have a problem with it then?"

She shrugged. "I dunno. Maybe. But really, she can talk all she wants. Remember what I told you last night?"

He smiled. "You said a lot of things last night."

"Whatever. But the most important thing was..." She paused before grabbing Jaune by the arm and pulling him over to her. "You're mine."

Jaune let himself be pulled closer to her. He did indeed enjoy this new possessive Miltia. A part of him wanted to escalate things, but Melanie's presence in the shower next to them was the lesser concern on his mind. He had to see Miss Goodwitch. As soon as possible.

Maybe the fact that Miltia had spent another night with him had curbed any potential jealousy or insecurity she may have felt. Maybe that was why she was acting differently now compared to only yesterday. Because he was hers, and she knew it.

Reluctantly, he pulled himself away from the girl. "But I gotta go now."

"I know. But, like, hurry back. I so do not want to talk to Mel about my sex life... again."

Jaune nodded, and stood up. Walking over to the suitcase he had not had time to unpack, he began pulling out clothes to wear for his meeting. He could feel a pair of eyes watching his every movement. This must have been how Miltia felt when she had gotten dressed the morning after their first time.

"Enjoying the view?" he asked her.

"Mmhmm."

"Well, sorry," he said as he slid his blue jeans up. "Duty calls."

"Just remember you don't owe these people anything," she said softly. "They're the ones who kicked you out."

He hadn't been serious when he had said it was his duty to speak to Glynda. "I know. I just wanna see what she wants."

"We can totally find another place if we have to. Don't, like, let her make you do stuff you don't want to. Or say stuff."

He knew exactly what the girl meant. Admitting to his guilt for his actions at the docks. Admitting that he had committed more than his fair share of violence while working for Junior. Even if it had been against a terrorist group. His actions were still illegal.

Sitting down on the bed and sliding a pair of socks on, he looked to her. "Yeah."

Miltia was still undressed. Jaune wanted nothing more than to stay and enjoy a view of his own. In the end he settled for reaching over and placing a kiss on the girl's lips.

"I'll be back," he said as he stood.

She nodded in response.

After getting his boots on, Jaune stepped out of the room and closed the door.

As he walked through the hall he could not help but feel his heart racing. He remembered the last time he had been called to visit Glynda's office. That was the morning that his dreams had been shattered. Now he was once more going to see the woman. He had an inkling of what she wanted. The truth. Justice. All of that. But was there really all there was too it? Had she really agreed to house both him and the twins just so she could get the truth out of him? It made no sense. He supposed there was only one way to find out.

The school's campus was surprisingly empty. At this hour most of the students were probably in class. He wondered just how he would be spending his time at Beacon. Ruby had mentioned something about attending classes. Was he supposed to have done that today, but it was messed up by him oversleeping? Or did the meeting with the teacher have to come first?

He didn't know. Just another question that he hoped would be answered by seeing Glynda.

Despite not having been here in months, he remembered the way to her office. It was hard to forget after experiencing such a letdown. Beacon's main building had more than just a massive tower to its name. It also housed all of the administration buildings. Teacher's offices. Including Glynda's. This place, along with the dorms, was one of the two buildings he had actually been in.

When he arrived he was hesitant to knock. The bad memories continued to flood his mind. What if more bad things happened again? What if even worse things resulted from this meeting with the woman?

Jaune shook his head. No, he would not be afraid. He had dealt with far worse opponents than a mere teacher. He had experienced far worse trauma than merely speaking to a person. And so he knocked on the door.

It took a few seconds, but the door opened, revealing the tall and intimidating woman. "Please, take a seat," she said as she stepped aside and gestured to the chair before her desk.

It was déjà vu. Just like the morning of initiation. The only difference was back then he had no idea why he might have been called to a professor's office. This time he knew all too well. Or at least suspected.

The room was just as he remembered it. Plain. No real decoration other than what Beacon itself had provided. No pictures on the desk. No personal little knick knacks. Nothing that really screamed that this was the office of Glynda Goodwitch, and no one else. It did not surprise Jaune in the slightest that the stern and professional teacher did not care for such personal touches.

Jaune sat down, his suddenly cold and sweaty hands folded in his lap. "So... you wanted to talk about something."

Glynda folded her hands neatly upon her desk in turn. "Yes, Mr. Arc. I am going to cut straight to the point. I am concerned about you."

Concerned? That was the last thing he had expected to hear from the teacher. He was sure that his face betrayed that surprise the moment she uttered the words.

"What? Why?"

Her gaze did not waver as she continued. "Since leaving Beacon, it has come to my attention that you have fallen in with a rather rough crowd. To put it bluntly, the company you have chosen to surround yourself with are criminals. I'm sure you have figured that out for yourself by now."

He had. He had done that a long time ago. Yet there was more to them than just that. Just as there must have been more to Glynda Goodwitch than merely being a teacher. Or a huntress. He didn't know what those other sides to her were, but surely they existed. Even if her students could not see any of them.

"But they're not bad people," he argued. "They're actually really good people if you look deeper. They took me in. The helped me when no one else would."

There was a trace of bitterness in his voice with those last words. Yes, he was blaming her for kicking him out of Beacon. Even though he knew he had been in the wrong for forging his transcripts, he still felt he deserved a chance. He still resented Miss Goodwitch despite the fact that she had only done her job. Maybe it was wrong of him to do so, but feelings were rarely rational.

"Yes, I've seen just how deeply you know these girls," she commented. "Please know, Mr. Arc, that your tenure here at Beacon Academy is not so that you may turn it into your own personal love nest."

Jaune looked away, embarrassed at the memory from earlier. Yes, he and Miltia would have to be a little more discreet if they wished to engage in those sorts of activities again. They weren't at the club anymore. Privacy was merely an illusion here at Beacon Academy.

"However, that is one reason I did agree to allow you and those two girls to stay here," she continued. "As an educator, as well as a huntress, it is both my hope and my duty to help shape the minds of young people for the better. To aid them in becoming productive members of society, as well as warriors who will help protect and better humanity. I see in you a mistake that I had a part in creating. I wish to correct that mistake."

A mistake. She had just referred to him as a mistake. Or at least what he had become. Was she right?

Jaune wanted to take offense to the comment, but inside he could not help feel that she was right. She was also apparently shouldering some of the blame for what he had turned into. What he had done. A man was dead. He had beaten and maimed many others. He did work for a criminal. From any other perspective other than his own, he might as well have been a criminal. Only Jaune himself knew that his intentions had been pure all along. That all of the bad things he had done were done with the goal of helping others.

Glynda frowned. "Those girls," she said. "How old are they? Eighteen? Nineteen?"

"Something like that," he answered. Truthfully he had never even asked. He knew they were around his age, but he never had a reason to ask. Plus, he knew not to ask a woman their age. Did that rule even apply to teenagers?

Jaune wondered if Miltia was in fact older than him. He would have to think of a way to ask that would not offend her.

"In them I see mistakes as well. Girls who were robbed of the chance to live normal lives. Raised to be weapons by a criminal." There was clear disgust in her voice when she spoke those words. "By a former huntsman who abandoned his duty out of his own sense of greed."

Was that what Glynda thought? If so she couldn't be further from the truth. She didn't know the real story. "Junior didn't do that," he argued. "He saved them when they had nowhere else to go."

"Oh? Is that the story he fed you? And you believed him?"

Why would he lie? There was no reason to make up something like that. Junior made no excuses for what he did for a living. He did not hide who he was. It would make no sense to invent how Miltia and Melanie had come into his life.

However, Jaune was not about to share the story with Glynda. It wasn't his to tell. If either of the girls wanted to share their tragedy with the woman, it was up to them. Not him.

"I believe him," he confirmed. "Because he took me in too after _you_ kicked me out."

Jaune felt a hollowness in his stomach as he said those escalating words. He felt his face burn a little bit. With those words he had all but thrown down the gauntlet to the woman across from him. If there was going to be a confrontation, now would be the time it exploded.

Glynda, however, maintained her cool. If he had caused any anger in her, she did not show it. "So he did," she agreed. There was an icy edge to her voice. "And where has it gotten you? A dead man at the docks. A nightclub destroyed from a terrorist bombing. And who knows what else you have done that I am unaware of? You've certainly come a long way under his guidance, Mr. Arc."

The words stung. They stung because they were the truth.

"However, contrary to what you might believe, I am not here to punish you," she continued. "I believe that you have been punishing yourself quite a bit on your own since the incident at the docks. I believe that because I know that in your heart you _are_ a good person. One who is in need of proper guidance. One who is in need of help. And make no mistake about it, I do wish to help both you and those girls. That is why you are here at Beacon today."

She wanted to help him? How could she possibly do that? Even if she did know what he had done, what could she do to help?

Only one way to find out. "How?"

"By providing you with the tools to help yourselves. Make no mistake, I cannot force you or those girls to do anything. I cannot force any of my students to act a certain way. To believe in my ideals. To view the world the same way I do. All I can do is offer an opportunity for those under my watch to help themselves. And to provide guidance along the way. The rest will be up to them. The rest, Mr. Arc, is up to you."

So that was it. She did not wish to force him into a confession and hand him over to the authorities. She wanted to help him. Was it really that simple? Was that really all she was after?

"So..." he started uneasily. He had to make sure he phrased it in a way that was not a confession. Miss Goodwitch had nothing on him. No evidence. Only suspicion. Even if she was absolutely correct in that suspicion. "Let's say someone did... kill someone," he said softly. "How would you help them?"

Those green eyes of hers seemed to soften. Even if only slightly. "By talking to them about it. By having them speak to those who have suffered through the very same experiences. Huntsmen and huntresses do not only slay the creatures of Grimm. They also fight other people when the situation demands it. Sometimes those battles may only end in one way."

One way. The death of one of the combatants. Yeah, that made sense. That had to be one of the reasons Beacon's curriculum had an entire course dedicated to combat with other students. To train them to fight other humans. Other huntsmen.

Maybe even rogue huntsmen like Junior.

"So there are teachers here who have killed people before?" he wondered.

Glynda nodded her head grimly. "Unfortunately, yes. It is a hard, but necessary part of being a huntsman. Not all people are good. Not all of them want to be helped. It is why I hope that I may help both you and those girls before you fall too deeply into a pit of darkness that you cannot find your way out of. Where someday you might find yourself facing off against one of my students. I guarantee you, Jaune, that you would be on the losing end of such an engagement."

The words were chilling. Even more so because she had called him by his first name. She was very serious about what she had just said. She was obviously trying her very best to get through to him.

"Miss Rose and her friends may have been at the docks as well, but they fortunately did not have to take any lives. She may be your friend, but she does not know what you are experiencing." Glynda was making it no secret that she knew the truth. She was not even trying to play along with the act anymore. "The only way you're going to get through this is if you let yourself be helped. And no one can help you until you're willing to be open and honest about it."

She was probably right. What good was a therapist if you wouldn't tell them what was bothering you? How could they ever try to help find a way to overcome the issue? Lying about this would do him no good. Still, he did not feel like sharing it with her. At least not yet. At least not until he was certain he could trust her.

There was, however, something that he did wish to discuss with her. Something that had happened a lot more recently. He hoped that she would not mind the sudden shift in topics.

"So..." he began. "I saved someone's life the other day." Glynda's eyes showed interest as her head tilted slightly. "I think I unlocked my Semblance."

* * *

 **Author's Note:** So it happened again! There's an awesome guy named Aetheling who took it upon himself to write a fic called Pumpkin Spice, which is based off of this story. Go check it out, as well as his other fics. My thanks go out to him for the kind gesture.

As for this story, I've said this before in a one-shot I wrote called My Hero. Aura is a manifestation of the soul. When Jaune healed Weiss, his soul touched hers. Same thing in this story where he healed Miltia. That has to be a very close and intimate experience. Probably on a level we can't even conceive of. I don't know how or if it's going to be addressed in the show, but here I made it so Miltia feels a lot closer to Jaune.

Anyway, as always my thanks go out to everyone for reading, reviewing, all that good stuff. I truly appreciate all the support.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter.


	23. Chapter 23

Oh. My. Gods.

This was going to kill her. This was actually going to kill her.

Forget the White Fang. Forget Roman Torchwick. Forget a dust bomb being planted in Junior's club and nearly blowing her into a million little pieces. This, right here. This place. This man. This was going to be the death of her.

"...the faint musk of turnips now, rather than cabbages..."

Why had she agreed to come here again?

Miltia sat behind a desk for the first time in forever. She and her sister had not attended an actual school in years. Back when she had a regular life with a regular family she had gone to school like any other child had. But then once Mountain Glenn fell, once Junior took her in, schooling became less important. The things she learned there were inconsequential in comparison to actual real world experience. She could learn so much more being a bouncer and enforcer than in a classroom. In this twisted world they lived in, experience on the streets mattered far more than being about to vomit out memorized information. Information that would be forgotten in only a few months anyway.

"...said to me, 'Peter, my lad, you'll remember this day for the rest of your life'..."

This right here epitomized why she hated school. Why she had dropped out of high school.

A short, portly man with a sickeningly appropriate surname paced back and forth as he went on and on about his exploits as a huntsman. Apparently this was supposed to be a class about the creatures of Grimm. What kinds there were. Their behavior. And most importantly, how to kill them.

But that was stupid. They lived in a walled city in the kingdom of Vale. There were no Grimm here. There were defenses to stop them from getting in. There were huntsman there to protect them. Supposedly. After all, the huntsmen were supposed to protect Mountain Glenn too, and Miltia had seen firsthand just how successful they were at that.

With a hand propping her head up, Miltia glanced over to her sister, who shared a similar pose. Normally bright green eyes looked dull, and her sister's eyelids fluttered as she was in real danger of falling asleep. The sight of this was both amusing and frightening to the younger twin. On one hand it was funny that the man was almost literally putting someone to sleep with his constant droning. On the other, Miltia did not want to ever imagine a world where she and Melanie could be considered the same. She loved her sister, she truly did. However, Miltia would never want to be compared to Melanie. That kind of behavior may have worked for the older girl, but Miltia would never want to be such a crude, lewd and reckless person.

Luckily as her eyes continued to wander the room, Miltia saw that nearly every other student had fallen into the same lethargic trance. A few of the students actually were sleeping, their heads resting on makeshift arm pillows. If the professor noticed he did not seem to care, probably being too enthralled with tales of his own, and for some reason, his grandfather's questionable accomplishments.

Miltia heard a whispered voice next to her. "Pretty boring, isn't it?"

Where Melanie sat to her right, a blue-haired boy sat on her left. He had a soft and knowing smile on his face, as if his question had an obvious answer even before asking it.

Miltia merely hummed in agreement. She wasn't interested in talking to him, and luckily the boy seemed to get the hint before he turned his head back toward the front of the classroom.

He wasn't the boy she wanted to talk to right now. One boy was conspicuous in his absence. Despite the fact that all three of them had come to Beacon, Jaune was not present in this classroom. She had learned that he had another one on one meeting scheduled with that woman Glynda Goodwitch. A private lesson of some sort. A darker part of Miltia's mind went to where movies, TV shows and pop culture in general went when there was a student and a teacher in a private setting. She banished the thought immediately. As if Jaune would ever want a taste of that old woman after experiencing Miltia herself.

What a lucky boy he was, for more reasons than just that. He did not have to sit through this stupid and boring lecture. Miltia wondered if this was going to be what every class was like here at Beacon. Where was the fun? The fighting? Dare she say even the drinking and parties? She would never say those last two aloud for fear of being compared to Melanie, but at this point _anything_ would be better than lectures.

Thankfully, and mercifully, the bell rang. With class over, the professor stopped in mid-sentence before switching gears entirely. "Alright, class. You're dismissed."

Never mind the fact that students had already begun exiting the class before he had been able to utter the words. Clearly they were just as eager to escape this place as she was.

"And remember your assignment on the anatomy of Ursai. It will be due tomorrow."

Yeah right. Like she was going to do any of that. What was he going to do? Fail her?

A look to her right revealed that Melanie had only barely begun to stir with the commotion of exiting students around her. Miltia gave her sister a soft nudge with her elbow to try and hasten her revival. "You still alive, Mel?"

The girl in white gave a soft and frankly pitiful moan as she rubbed her eyes with a hand. "Fuck..." she said softly.

Alive, yes. But aware of her surroundings? Probably not. For once Miltia could not blame her sister for her behavior.

"Come on, we have to go to like, history class next or whatever."

Melanie moaned again. "I don't wanna goooo. This is so stupid."

Again, Miltia was hard-pressed to disagree. They were however stuck on this campus for the foreseeable future. Not only was it in the list of conditions that Glynda had given to them all when she agreed to harbor them, but it was Junior's orders as well. He did not want them in downtown Vale where they could easily become targets. They had already been hit once by the White Fang. If they had targets painted on their backs, staying here in school was the safest place they could be.

"I know, but we have to. Otherwise we'll get expelled or something."

Her sister finally lifted her head from its resting place, blinking hard as if to shake the weariness from her eyes. "Gods, I hope that the next teacher won't be as boring as this guy."

"Oh don't worry, he's completely different," that voice from her left said again. "He's energetic and talks really fast. Kinda cool."

Miltia looked over to see the blue-haired boy once more. For some reason he had stood up as if to leave, but had not quite moved from his spot yet.

"I haven't seen you two before," he continued. "Judging by the lack of uniforms, I'm going to guess you're from Shade?"

That was something Miltia had noticed as well. Most of the students here wore uniforms of some sort, while others did not. Miltia herself was clad in tight fitting jeans and dark red tank top. After the explosion her favorite dress had once more been ruined. It was once more in need of a tailor's touch. She really hoped she would be getting it back sooner rather than later.

The boy's bright smile matched bright eyes that looked at her and Melanie with seemingly genuine warmness. It did not take long for her sister to snuff out any such sentiment with her response.

"The fuck is Shade?" Melanie asked.

"Oh," he said suddenly. Eyes darted off to the side briefly before returning to the girls. "Haha, guess not. But you are new here, right?"

"Yeah," Miltia confirmed.

"Same here, well sort of. I'm a transfer student from Mistral, so this place seems kinda big if you don't know where you're going. I got lost just the other day."

Ugh. Small talk. Miltia could appreciate the fact that this guy was trying to be friendly and all, but she hated small talk. Melanie did as well. Her sister just happened to be a lot less diplomatic about it.

"Uh huh," Melanie answered uninterestedly.

The girl's response did not seem to dim the boy's hopes for conversation. "So I was thinking, maybe you'd want to get lost together? We'd probably have a better chance finding our way around like that. You know what they say, three heads are better than one."

That award-winning smile was still plastered on his face. Now it made sense. Miltia understood his game. This guy, whoever he was, was a typical playboy. Both she and Melanie had dealt with his type before many times.

"Oh my gods, Miltia," the elder twin asked. There was an incredulity to her voice that indicated she was fully awake now. "Is this guy for real?"

"I think he is, Melanie."

"So, Miltia and Melanie, is it? Nice to meet you. My name's Neptune."

Neptune. At first glance he wasn't bad looking at all. On the contrary, he was actually quite good looking. If she were to be objective, he was cuter than Jaune. But he was also trying way too hard. Looks weren't everything, after all.

This was the kind of guy Miltia was confident would feel at home in Junior's club. All style and no substance. Chatting up the ladies at the bar with his compliments and one liners to see which would net him the attention he was seeking. Admittedly, Miltia did not know him beyond what appeared to be his attempts to pick up both herself and Melanie, but in her mind those actions spoke for themselves. In her mind he was looking for a hookup. A conquest. He would find none of that here.

"Yeah, gonna stop you right there blue boy," Miltia said sternly. "I'm taken."

Neptune seemed to be briefly thrown off his game once more, but quickly collected himself. "Oh, haha. No problem. Sorry to bother you then." His eyes turned to give his attention solely to Melanie now. "What about you, Miltia?"

Green eyes narrowed dangerously at the question. " _She's_ Miltia," Melanie said pointing to her sister. "Fucking idiot."

Miltia did not think she had ever actually seen someone physically cringe before. However, after witnessing Neptune utterly dash any hopes he had of impressing Melanie, not that she would have given this _boy_ a second look to begin with, it was hard not to notice his reaction.

That smile of his had turned from earnest to utterly embarrassed. His hand rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Right, right. I'm sorry. It's just you two look so much alike."

"Uh huh," Melanie said. Her focus turned to her sister. "Hey, Mil?"

"Hmm?"

"When's the last time you neutered a guy with your claws?"

Never. But a little acting wouldn't hurt right now.

"I don't know, Melanie. But it's been like, way too long."

Judging by Neptune's eyes suddenly widening, the exchange had its desired effect. His body language seemed to indicate that he no longer thought of himself as the hunter, and they his prey. He now wanted to escape this conversation after both it and the girls had turned on him.

"You think the carpet matches the drapes?"

Miltia sincerely hoped not. She really hoped that his hair was a dye job. But then again, what kind of guy would want to try and pull off blue hair?

"I dunno. Guess there's only one way to find out."

Melanie nodded before looking to Neptune once more, her trademark predatory grin gracing her lips. "So, Neptune was it? You wanna like, go to the locker room for a little while? We totally have something we wanna show you in private..."

The boy may have been a wannabe lady's man, but he wasn't stupid. He could put two and two together. And he was not interested in subtracting two very precious things of his own from his body.

"No, no, I just realized I gotta get to my next class," he said hurriedly as he began walking up the classroom's steps and toward the door. "I guess I'll see you two around."

He didn't give them a chance to respond before exiting the room in a rush. Well, that was one problem solved at least.

"Fucking idiot..." Melanie repeated under her breath.

Miltia nodded wordlessly. She really hoped that Beacon wouldn't be full of guys who wanted to hit on them. Normally at the club she and Melanie would have every right to kick the crap out of those kinds of guys who tried to make a move on them. However, a violent reaction would probably not be tolerated here where they were guests.

As the twins made their way out of the classroom, Melanie spoke once more. "Come on, Mil. Can't we just skip the rest of the classes today?"

As much as she wanted to, Miltia knew they couldn't. "It's the first day, Melanie. I don't think they'd like it very much if we did."

"Yeah? Well fuck them. We're not like, actual students here."

No, but they had to follow their rules if they wanted the safety that this school offered. Junior would be furious if they got kicked out of Beacon. Especially on their first day.

"I know. But we have to try. Try thinking about making it through the day until we're free or something."

"Fucking easy for you to say when you've got Jaune waiting for you after school," Melanie countered. "What do I have? They don't serve alcohol here. There's no fucking fun. This might as well be prison."

Miltia frowned. She did indeed have Jaune. Something, or someone, to look forward to at the day's end. Someone to hold her. Someone to cuddle with at night. Someone to chase away the nightmares of her past.

Melanie on the other hand did not have her primary coping mechanism. She could not get wasted every night and fall asleep to dreamless nights. In that regard, Miltia felt sorry for her sister.

She placed an arm around Melanie's shoulders as they walked. "Aw, it's okay," she said gently. "You've still got me."

"Ugh. Don't remind me." Actions betrayed those words, however, and Melanie did nothing to remove the offending arm of her twin.

Encouraged by this, and to try and further lighten the mood, Miltia went on. "I mean, you could totally have Neptune. He seems... nice."

This time Melanie did move her sister's arm from her shoulders. "Bitch, please. Like he'd even know what to do with a girl like me, even if I was interested."

"Are you saying you wouldn't totally hit that?"

"As if."

The younger twin shrugged as they walked. "I dunno then," she said honestly. "Maybe we could like, try making friends?"

With a scoff and a roll of her eyes, Melanie went with the idea. "Oh yeah. Who do we know here? There's rich bitch. Terrorist bitch. Blonde bitch." Her sarcasm reached its peak when she got to the last name on their list of acquaintances. "Or do you really expect me to become friends with Ruby fucking Rose?"

As far as any of them went, Ruby _was_ the best option of the people they knew. Since arriving at Beacon they had seen each other a few times, but as far as Miltia knew, nothing had really developed between them. Still, she was a kind-hearted and genuine girl who seemingly wanted what was best for her friends. Could she really become their friend?

Yang was out of the question. Both girls hated her with a passion after what she had done. Despite being related to Ruby, the blonde couldn't have been any more different from her sister. Then again that was not surprising to Miltia. After all, she and Melanie weren't exactly mirror images of one another.

Weiss would probably never care to associate with girls like them. She was a rich, pampered little brat who came from money and looked down on those who were lower than herself.

Finally there was Blake. The supposed ex White Fang terrorist. Miltia didn't know the whole story there, or why the girl was still allowed to attend Beacon. In any case, she didn't want anything to do with the girl. Not when she had ties to the people who had attacked Junior's club on one night, and then later bombed them.

Unless they managed to meet some more people here at Beacon, their list of potential friends was a short one. An undesirable one.

"I dunno," Miltia admitted. "But, like, maybe we'll meet someone cool. It's only the first day."

"Cool like blue balls boy?"

Miltia grimaced. No, if everyone was as cringey as Neptune, this would be a very long stay indeed.

"Fuck, I don't know," she breathed.

"Whatever. Let's just get this stupid shit over with then."

The younger girl sighed. Yeah. They would just have to get this last class over with. At least it was their last one of the day. Then they would have tomorrow to look forward to. And then the day after that.

At least there was a dance coming up. That should be fun, right?

* * *

"Very good, Mr. Arc."

Jaune felt calm. At peace. Like there was nothing in the world that could bother him. It was quite a contrast from the first time he had done this.

The last time Jaune had activated his Semblance, he had been in a state of panic. There was chaos around him. His own mind and emotions had been thrown into turmoil. He did not know what he had been doing. Or at least at the very start he had not.

In the middle of a near empty classroom at Beacon Academy, Jaune's hands and forearms were glowing a brilliant white. That was all he needed to do. All he was expected to do. Perfection could not be achieved in a day, after all.

"It feels strange," the boy said. "But natural."

"It should," Glynda Goodwitch agreed. "This is your Aura. A manifestation of your soul. What you are doing right now is a part of you just as much as the color of your hair and eyes."

He now understood what Miltia had meant the other night when she said that she felt close to him. When she had said that she felt his Aura touch hers. The night she had been so unusually aggressive. When she could not get enough of him.

Jaune's initial discussion with Glynda had given him some insight into what he had done. He had suspected it at first, but was now confident in the answer. His Aura had indeed touched Miltia's. Or at least what was left of it. The explosion had depleted it entirely and caused her severe injuries in one fell swoop. However, Jaune had come in an allowed it to rapidly recharge. He had amplified it, according to Glynda. It wasn't so much as him using his own Aura pool to refill Miltia's as it was giving hers a jump start and allowing it to regenerate. The Beacon professor suspected that he could even push a person's Aura past its normal limits for a short time.

That was what he was attempting to do here in Glynda's classroom now. With no other students present, and the woman's class not set to begin for a little while longer, he had time to practice. Under the guidance of not only a trained huntress, but a trained combat instructor, he wondered if he would be able prove her theories correct.

"Now, focus on your right hand," she told him. "Will your Aura to concentrate itself there. To strengthen and harden itself beyond its normal limits."

He tried to do just that. He wasn't sure how he was supposed to will his Aura to obey his silent commands, but he gave it his best effort. Closing his eyes, Jaune imagined his the light flowing to his right hand. He imagined it glowing in a shimmering light like it had when he healed Miltia. His breathing steadied. His hand felt warm. It felt powerful.

"Good." The praise caused his eyes to open again, and Jaune looked down to see his hand being enveloped in a light so bright that he had to squint to stare directly at it. "Now, strike."

His head turned to the unmoving practice dummy which Glynda had brought out and set in the middle of the small combat arena. Jaune was hardly trained in unarmed combat, but throwing a punch was easy enough. Pivoting his feet and his torso, Jaune lashed out with his fist, striking the dummy with as much strength as he could muster.

The result shocked him. Despite his lack of training, the dummy all but exploded on impact. Where Jaune's fist struck, a chest caved in. Ripples from the strike were sent out from the crater in all directions causing the dummy to tear in half. Soon enough what used to resemble a human torso was nothing more than several pieces of hard rubber.

The result of his strike caused Jaune to lose his focus, and the glow of Aura in his fist retreated back into his body. However, the evidence would remain on the floor. Jaune had just turned his fist into a deadly weapon with nothing more than his Aura.

"As I suspected," Glynda said as she approached him. "Your Semblance allows you to amplify Aura. Not just to heal somebody, like you did before. If you focus on a certain part of your body, you can turn it into a weapon. Or a shield. Without proper testing we will not know the limits. It is, however, fascinating to wonder what those limits may be."

Testing. Jaune knew that was exactly what they were doing right now. In the setting of a classroom with a teacher, it seemed innocent enough. He wasn't some lab rat being experimented upon. A part of him wondered if that would eventually happen, however.

The truth was that Glynda had become surprisingly interested in his Semblance during their initial meeting on his return to Beacon. When he had told her that he had saved Miltia's life, there was no hiding the curiosity behind those glasses of hers. She had asked many questions that morning, and most of them were not ones he could answer. He simply did not know about his Semblance enough yet to know what he did or how he did it. He did not know his limits.

He did not know if he should be gracious or suspicious that she seemed so adamant about seeing exactly what he was capable of.

"Yeah," he agreed. Jaune looked down at the mess that used to resemble a human body. He imagined what it might look like had it been a living human being. Or a living faunus. One in White Fang attire. One whose chest was burst apart. Broken ribs protruding from flesh. Blood everywhere. "Fascinating," he echoed.

"Mr. Arc?"

Jaune shook his head to clear those thoughts from it. He wasn't at the docks. He hadn't killed another man. "Huh?"

Glynda gave him a long and hard stare. "Nothing. How do you feel?"

Physically? Just fine. Mentally... not so much. "I'm fine," he said simply. He imagined that Glynda was indeed asking how his body felt after using his Aura in such an unfamiliar way. So he told the truth.

"Very good. I have a proposal for you. One which I would like you to consider very carefully."

Glynda's tone had taken a serious turn. While the woman always seemed to be serious and stern, she sounded even more so in this moment.

"Okay?"

"Mr. Arc, I wish to offer you a position at Beacon Academy."

His heart skipped a beat. His head whipped around to look the woman in the eyes. "What?"

She softly cleared her throat, and her eyes narrowed slightly before speaking again. Clearly she was not the type who enjoyed repeating herself. "I said I wish to offer you a chance to attend Beacon. For four years, just like every other student. An opportunity to become a huntsman, just as you once wanted."

Become a huntsman. Just like that. Like he had always wanted to.

Why? Why now of all times?

Had this been only a few months prior, Jaune would have leapt at the opportunity. He had been crushed by his expulsion from Beacon Academy. It had been his dream. The only thing he had wanted out of life. And it had been cruelly torn away by the very woman standing before him.

Now, however, that very same woman was offering him a chance to return. A chance to live out his dream. To make something of himself. To become the man he had always wanted to be. To become what his family never wanted him to be. To become a huntsman. To use his sword and shield to protect humanity.

To become a hero.

So why was it that he did not jump on such a chance?

"Why?" he asked.

The question shocked him as it left his mouth. If it surprised Glynda, she did not show it. "Your first time attending this school may have been under false pretenses, but it is clear that there is potential within you to make something of yourself. To become more than you currently are. As I have told you before, I am concerned about the path you are walking. I am concerned for your safety and your future."

Jaune wasn't buying it. "Then why didn't you offer me the spot the morning we first talked about all that?"

It was a valid question. One that only made his suspicions rise. He was thankful when Glynda had more to offer him than just that as an explanation.

"As I said, you have potential. With a Semblance such as yours, you have the ability to not just become a powerful huntsman. You can save lives, Mr. Arc. You have already done so once. As someone charged with not only protecting this kingdom, but protecting humanity as a whole, I would be remiss to pass on such an opportunity that has presented itself right in front of my eyes." She took a step toward him, and those green eyes of hers burned with surprising intensity the likes of which he had never before seen from the woman. "You can do more good here than you know. You can do it as a huntsman."

So that was it. She found out about his Semblance, and now everything had changed. He could help people. He could save lives. He could become Beacon's own personal medic and run around amplifying Auras. In all honesty it wasn't a bad thing. If he could save a life, he would do so in a heartbeat. However...

Glynda spoke of huntsmen like it was some title to be honored. Jaune didn't exactly think it was anymore. Maybe it was the Malachites rubbing off on him. Or maybe he was merely jaded by his own experiences. He didn't know. All he knew was what he had seen.

Jaune had never seen his father in action. He never saw the man on a mission. Back in his childhood, he looked up to the man for more than just being his father, but for also being a huntsman. Since leaving home, however, his experiences had been broadened. Things weren't so black and white anymore. Things were just as Junior said they were all those months ago.

Junior himself was a former huntsman. One who had abandoned his once noble calling to become a criminal boss. If he was supposed to exemplify what it meant to be a huntsman, then it did not paint the prettiest of pictures. Then again, he had his reasons. But as Glynda had said, the man hadn't been squeaky clean even before adopting the Malachite sisters.

Then there was Yang. A girl who wanted to become a huntress herself. A girl with a hot head who recklessly put countless lives in danger. Someone who had nearly beaten his girlfriend and her sister to death. All for a little bit of fun. Or to vent her anger. Or whatever her reasoning may have been at the time. Did she represent the ideals of a huntress? Did people with her power and abilities hold that much power over the average citizens of Vale? Of the entire world?

Then Jaune looked back on everything that he had done. The men he had hurt. The man he had killed. And the girl he had saved. He had done all of that as a civilian. As just a private citizen of Vale.

In the end there was no difference. Huntsman or civilian. People could do good and people could do bad. A fancy title meant nothing. The education of a huntsman academy meant nothing. It was the person who made the impact. It was they who made the decision to help or harm others. There was more than one way to be a hero. Or a villain.

Jaune shook his head softly, and could scarcely believe the words that were forming on his lips. "I can't."

Green eyes widened slightly at those words. This time Glynda was clearly shocked in her reaction. "Excuse me?"

That was not the answer she had been expecting. After Jaune's initial reaction to being kicked out of Beacon, Glynda probably expected him to take her up on her offer in a heartbeat. Not this.

"I can't," he repeated. "I... I don't want to be a huntsman. Not after everything I've seen. Everything I've done."

"If you are referring to the incident at the docks-"

"It's more than that," he interrupted. "I just... I don't know."

He wasn't lying. He did not know. Jaune's mind was a confused mess right now. Everything he had ever wanted was being handed to him upon a silver platter, and he was turning it down. A part of him wondered if he was making a hasty decision. He wondered if he should sit down and talk about it with the people who knew him best. Then again he already knew what they would say.

He could not consult his family on the issue. They all believed he was attending a school for the arts. That left a only a handful of others. Miltia and Melanie would tell him to reject the offer. They hated huntsmen with a passion. They blamed huntsmen for failing to protect Mountain Glenn. Their opinions had been further shaped by Junior who told them about the true nature of huntsmen. They were far more and far less than the romanticized defenders of humanity. They were hired guns. They would take on missions if and when they felt like it. They could potentially work for anybody, good or bad, so long as it lined their pockets.

Then there was Ruby. That bright-eyed, optimistic girl who believed in the virtues of being a huntress. One who only wanted the best for those around her. A girl who wanted to help people. To defend humanity. To make the world a better place. She would tell him to attend Beacon once more. She would talk about how much fun they would have together. She would attempt to squash his doubts. To show him that he could be a good man, and a good huntsman. Together they could make the world change for the better through being huntsmen. And maybe she was right.

That's what made it all so confusing. That's what made it so difficult.

"It is of course your decision, Mr. Arc," Glynda said. "And you need not make a decision today. However, this is an opportunity that few people are ever given. You have the potential to do so much good in the world. All I'm asking is that you think it over."

Again, the intensity from that woman shocked Jaune. It seemed as if she truly desired for him to attend Beacon Academy. Why though, he could not say. Was it really because he could make a difference? Was it because of the sudden reveal of his Semblance? Was there more to the situation than met the eye?

Despite what he had said, and despite everything he had gone through, there was still a part of Jaune which wanted to say yes. A part of him that wanted to be a huntsman, only so that he could squash all of his doubts. So he could show that everything he had done had not been for nothing. So that he could justify all of the bad he had done by finally achieving his dream, and then make up for all he had done through his good actions.

Some part of him wanted someone to convince him to change his mind. That person just happened to be Glynda Goodwitch. "Even if I were to come to Beacon, I wouldn't even have a team, right? Can't be here on my own."

He was looking for something. Anything. If Glynda told him that he was correct on the matter, that would make staying away a far easier decision. Then again, if she said that it didn't matter, that would make the siren call of attending Beacon all the easier to follow. Right now he just needed somebody to help him make a decision.

"True," Glynda agreed, and in turn pushing Jaune firmly toward the 'no' camp. "However, you have with you two potential candidates for teammates in those sisters. They are already trained fighters, and if they were to agree to attempt to reform and cut all ties with Hei Xiong, they would have the potential to make fine huntresses."

Jaune wanted to laugh, but doing so in Glynda's face would have been rude. This woman clearly did not know the twins at all if she thought they would ever want to become huntresses. Or if she believed they would ever abandon the man who saved their lives. Then again, Glynda did not know the truth. She truly believed that Junior had picked them up off the street in order to raise them as his hired muscle. That he was just using them. What Glynda did not know was that he had rescued them from death at Mountain Glenn, and viewed them as his own daughters. And that they in turn viewed them as a father figure.

He remembered some of Junior's words from before which only proved the point. _And if you ever hurt them, then I will hurt you. And nobody will find your body._

If Junior knew that he was sleeping with Miltia, how would he react? Jaune didn't know. All he knew was that he was very happy that the man did not know.

"I... don't think they'd take you up on your offer," he told her truthfully. He wasn't about to go into detail and all but insult Glynda's profession. "They're not exactly the defenders of humanity types."

"Not surprising," the woman said flatly. "Regardless, I would advise you to use your time here at Beacon wisely. Think about it as if you were a student here. Look over the opportunities you would be given. You also already have friends here in Miss Rose and Miss Xiao Long, if I remember correctly."

"Yeah," he agreed. Though at this point he did not know what to think of Yang anymore. Sure, she had admitted some fault in what she had done to the twins. However, the fact that she had done it in the first place to people he was now intimately close with did not sit well with him.

Glynda looked up to the clock mounted on the wall and sighed softly. "I have a class which is set to start in a few minutes. If you are free for tomorrow at the same time, I wish to continue learning more about your Semblance."

So did he. "Sure. Sounds good."

"Very good. And if you wish to sit in on my class, please feel free to do so. It is a combat class between students. While you will not be able to participate, perhaps you would like to see what prospective huntsmen are capable of. What you may be capable of as well. It may prove to be quite a learning experience."

The idea did pique his interest. If this was some sort of trick to try and get him to change his mind on attending Beacon Academy, then it was a good one. He wanted to see what other students were capable of. People like Ruby and Yang. He hadn't exactly gotten a good look at them down at the docks. He was too concerned about fighting for his own life.

Jaune nodded, and moved to take a seat at one of the back rows of desks. The less focus he had on himself from the other students the better.

Grabbing his scroll, Jaune began typing out a message to Miltia so that she and Melanie would know where he was. He wondered what the two of them would think about seeing the other students in action. If maybe somehow, someway, they might become interested in joining Beacon Academy as well. Even if it wasn't with the goal of becoming huntresses.

Jaune once thought he knew what he wanted. Then after the docks he was sure he knew what he did not want. Now, however, he did not know what to think.

* * *

Things had been quiet since getting back to their dorm. Too quiet.

Melanie wondered if she should look at this peace as a good thing. Her sister wasn't all but assaulting Jaune with a passion that she did not realize Miltia was capable of. Melanie thought that she was the more outgoing and lewd one. But if what she was feeling from Miltia the other day was any indication of things...

Just what had Jaune done to her. Both in the bedroom and with that Aura thingy of his?

Even now they didn't seem to have a care in the world. Sharing a bed as they always did. Jaune lying back with his head propped up against a pillow. Miltia lying with her back to his chest and using him as a pillow in turn. His hands were wrapped around her stomach holding her close to him. It was sickening. Disgusting. Stupid. Couldn't those two get a room? Never mind the fact that they _did_ in fact have a room, and Melanie herself was all but playing the role of the third wheel right now.

It seemed as if they were content to simply watch TV right now after a long and boring day at school. It wasn't as if they had any homework. And it wasn't as if they could do anything else in this lame little school. Melanie was tempted to go and take an air ship to Vale if for nothing else than to go and buy some liquor. Surely she wouldn't be at risk for just a short trip into the city. Her personal stash which she brought with her from the club wouldn't last forever. And with a big party coming up... it needed some booze to liven things up.

Still, that required getting up. And doing shit. Melanie was not in the mood to do shit. She was in a foul mood as it was because of everything going on around her. She wanted to stew in her anger. She wanted those around her to suffer along with her.

With a heavy sigh she closed her eyes and looked away from the TV screen. "I'm bored," she stated.

Jaune said nothing. Miltia merely hummed an acknowledgement.

A low growl grumbled in the back of her throat. "Come on. Let's do something."

At least this time Miltia had the decency to speak. "Like what?"

Melanie did not know what to do either. All she did know was that the status quo could not remain. Those two were probably just itching for the opportunity to go at it again. They could only do that if Melanie left the room. It was young love. Two teenagers discovering sex for the first time. She had been there once too. She could imagine that all the two wanted to do now was screw each other. Especially after Jaune had saved Miltia's life. Melanie could not imagine the emotional bond that the two might have shared now. Well, she could imagine, but only in the vaguest of terms. Her own shared Semblance with Miltia made sure of that.

"I dunno. Let's go out. It's not even nine yet."

"Go where?"

"Fuck if I know. Let's just get out of this room."

It wasn't that Melanie wished for her sister to be unhappy. She was glad that she found someone to be there for her. Someone kind and trustworthy. However, Melanie knew that if she went out to do something right now that the two of them would not follow. They would be more than happy to continue to lay there and enjoy each other's company. And that meant Melanie would be left alone to wander the campus of Beacon with nothing to do.

"That sounds totes thrilling and all, Melanie," her sister said sardonically. "But... nah."

"So you'd rather sit here and watch this?" she asked pointing to the screen.

It was some stupid romantic comedy movie. Maybe it was more enjoyable when you were watching it in the arms of your significant other. Not that Melanie would know what that felt like to begin with. She didn't exactly do relationships. People just ruined the experience. Relationships ruined the experience. They made you vulnerable. Caring about people made you vulnerable. It allowed them to leave you. It allowed them to die.

Just as their parents had.

"Guess so," Miltia answered bluntly.

Melanie smacked her head back down against her own pillow in frustration. "Whatever," she whispered harshly.

Let them have their stupid little teenage romance. She was happy for them. She was _thrilled_ for them. And she was _thrilled_ to be trapped in the same room with them as they basked in said stupid little teenage romance.

She needed a drink right now. Really, really needed one. Anything to escape this nightmare of boredom. Even going to sleep this early would be a sweet release from the tedium of being imprisoned to Beacon Academy's grounds. Unfortunately she could not even do that so long as Miltia and Jaune were enjoying their stupid movie.

As she lay there with her eyes closed, the sounds of the movie suddenly cut out, and were replaced with some simplistic and generic musical melody.

Lifting her head back up to view the screen, Melanie saw the words "VNN Special Report" in place of the picture. A voice soon accompanied those words. _"This is a VNN Special Report. Here's Lisa Lavender."_

An appropriately lavender-haired woman appeared on the screen shortly after. Melanie recognized her as the regular talking head who anchored the nightly news.

"Good evening, we're coming on the air to inform the citizens of Vale of a major incident occurring right now in downtown Vale. Minutes ago a major accident took place on Highway 51. Reports from the scene indicate that the accident was the result of an altercation between what is believed to be one of Atlas' newly announced Paladin combat suits, and students of Beacon Academy. The incident is still ongoing, and we urge all citizens to avoid taking the city's major highways if possible until the situation is resolved. We're going to cut to footage from one of VNN's Bullheads on the scene right now."

Melanie saw as the picture shifted to show the highway. Bathed in dust lamps to illuminate the darkness, it was difficult to see too much detail from the altitude that the air ship sat at. However... she would recognize some of those colors from anywhere. A person in black and red. Another in white. Other moving figures whose colors were more obscured, but she could guess who they were. She could guess what they were doing.

It was Ruby fucking Rose and her friends. She hated to admit it, but some of these people were incredible.

Melanie had only a handful of experience with people who were on or above her level when it came to fighting. Most of the time she fought lowlife gang members or some other kind of criminal scum in the alleys and warehouses of Vale. They were easy prey. Easy for her to dominate. When fighting side by side with Miltia, they did not provide much of a threat. She reveled in her superiority over them. It was control in an otherwise chaotic life.

Then she had met Yang Xiao Long on that fateful night all those months ago. Though she and her sister had gotten some good hits in against the blonde, in the end Yang ended up wiping the floor with both of them. Miltia had been left bloody and Auraless. Melanie herself was badly hurt, especially in her right shoulder which had had been twisted around before being sent to the floor one final time.

After that she had gone toe to toe with the entirety of Team RWBY briefly before the fight was broken up. Still, she had taken a few more hits. Even if it hadn't been as bad before, the outcome was painfully apparent. She and her sister simply were not on the level of these huntsmen students. Some of them at least.

Sitting in on Glynda Goodwitch's class had shown that not all of these students were beyond her level. That scrawny little green-haired punk and his friends for example seemed simple enough. Melanie was confident that if she were given the opportunity to fight in one of those sparring classes that she could win against him. But the others? Yang or Ruby? That rich Schnee bitch or that stupid little terrorist? Not a chance. They were out of her league. Miltia and Jaune too. They would be at the mercy of all of them if it ever came to a fight.

The idea of being so powerless was a sickening one.

"There is no word yet on the cause of the incident or the motives of its participants," Lisa continued as the footage continued to roll. "Information is still coming in live as I speak. Stay tuned for further announcements as the situation continues to unfold."

Lisa's face faded out to be replaced with the special report screen once more for a few seconds, before abruptly returning to the movie.

Melanie turned to look at the other two in the room. Miltia looked at the screen with a frown, before her eyes glanced over to meet her sister's. Jaune on the other hand...

Jaune looked as if he had just seen a ghost.

Melanie gave him a strange look, which in turn caused Miltia to turn her head to get a look at the boy. As soon as she did, she shifted to loosen the grip his arms had around her.

"Jaune?" Miltia asked. She trailed a finger gently across his cheek to get his attention. "Jaune, what's wrong?"

The boy shook his head slightly before his eyes seemed to return to normal. "Nothing," he said softly. "I'm okay."

No he wasn't. Melanie had dealt with more than her fair share of PTSD. That's what the drinking was for. That's what the fucking was for. Even then it still wasn't enough to make her okay with what had happened back at Mountain Glenn.

She had a good idea of what it was that Jaune couldn't forget.

There was genuine concern in Miltia's eyes, but to her credit she did not press the issue. Trying to get people to talk when they weren't ready was a terrible idea. Melanie knew that all too well.

"Okay..." she said reluctantly. Melanie knew her sister didn't believe him either.

Maybe she should leave. Maybe she should let them fuck.

At least then he'd be happy for a little while.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** So as you can see I'm taking a bit of a step into the unknown concerning Jaune's Semblance. Based on what we saw all the way back in Volume 1 in Forever Fall, Jaune used his Semblance to pretty much turn his face into an impenetrable wall when Cardin punched him. Since the RWBY crew has confirmed his Semblance to be Aura Amplification, I don't feel it's too much of a stretch to think he can focus that Aura in certain places (like his face) to boost his strength or resilience. Almost like an Iron Fist type character, but with a lot more options.

As always I want to thank everyone for your continued support with this story. I truly appreciate it all.

I also want to plug an ongoing story right now by Aetheling called: The Legacy of Bleiss: A Discord Anthology. It's a collection of stories by a ton of talented authors about a color-inverted and personality-inverted Weiss, and it's really awesome. So if you're into Weiss, White Knight, crack, or all of the above, check it out. I've contributed a couple chapters to it myself.

Anyway, thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed the chapter.


	24. Chapter 24

Makeup? Check. Hair? Done. Dress? Stunning.

Miltia looked at herself in the mirror for what must have been the hundredth time that evening. A part of her was still in disbelief that she cared this much about something so stupid and pointless. Then again, she never would have expected being in this kind of situation to begin with.

Growing up with her alcoholic sister an raised by a former huntsman turned criminal, a school dance was the last thing Miltia could have expected to attend, much less get excited for. Neither she nor Melanie had had time for such things. They had dropped out of high school to pursue a much more practical, and if she were to be honest with herself, a much more fun career path.

They had lien to spare thanks to the work they did for Junior. It was how they had been able to afford the dresses purchased in Vale earlier today. It was how they afforded time at the hair salon. The manicures. It was all thanks to those little "finder's fees" that Melanie insisted they take for themselves every time they hit up some little local gang or business owner. They had built up over time. Having extra lien to spend on whatever they wanted was always a good thing. However, the deeper purpose behind stashing money away stemmed from their past. From a time where they had lost everything and for all intents and purposes had no future. They should have died at Mountain Glenn. It was only by the hands of another that they still drew breath.

While they both trusted Junior with their futures and their lives, it never hurt to have a contingency plan just in case something went wrong down the line. In case by some twist of fate Junior died, or something happened to his business. Something had indeed almost happened when Yang showed up that night. All three of them could have been left with nothing had Junior not also been wise with his lien. And for the twins, that outcome was simply unacceptable. She knew she wasn't the most book-smart girl in the world, but she still had her wits when it came to life. When it came to self-preservation.

Miltia heard the bathroom door open, and soon enough her elder twin stepped out. "Damn, you look hot," Melanie said from behind.

She knew that, but it never hurt to hear it. The red lace strapless dress she currently wore extended to just above the knee to expose a good amount of her legs. Melanie had also insisted that the dress she chose have a rather low cut in the bustline in order to showcase her natural assets. Miltia had initially protested, but a quick reminder that it was not for her benefit had quelled such thinking. She liked the dress if she was being honest. It was longer than her usual favorite attire, but it was also tighter below her torso, and hugged her waist and thighs. Not ideal for combat, but perfect for a night of dancing.

Glancing away from herself, she saw Melanie's reflection in the mirror. "Thanks," she said as she turned. "So do you."

Where Miltia's dress had a few similarities to what she usually wore, Melanie's was anything but the norm. A floor length black dress clung to her figure, accenting every curve on her body. A high slit on the left side showed off a tantalizingly high amount of flesh that went nearly up to her hip. This was nothing like what she usually saw her sister wear. Melanie had absolutely splurged on her eveningwear for the dance. She looked glamorous. Like a movie star attending a red carpet event. She wanted to impress everyone else at the dance. She wanted to show them up. Odds are she would accomplish that goal tonight.

"Damn right I do," she agreed as she came over to stand by the mirror as well. Standing nearly shoulder to shoulder, the two girls continued to appraise themselves in the full-length mirror. "So what time are we going?"

"I told Jaune to come at seven."

She had not seen the boy for much of the day. Not when there was so much preparation to be done. Besides, he would have only gotten in the way.

Miltia was fully aware that they were expected to stay on Beacon Academy grounds for their stay at the school. The reason, which had come from both Junior and Miss Goodwitch, was for their own safety. After being the target of a terrorist attack, the man did not want their lives at risk by being alone and exposed in the city. Jaune was aware of this as well, and he was under the same orders. Had she told him that she was going into Vale today in order to purchase a dress and prepare for the dance, he would have very likely tried to stop her.

He was still such a good boy like that. He was still indeed her innocent little huntsman. Miltia smiled, despite the use of her twin's nickname for the boy. Despite everything, Jaune was still the same honest and caring guy he had always been. That little slice of innocence and normalcy in her otherwise chaotic life. He still liked to follow the rules where he could. Even with those forged transcripts he had purchased from Junior the day after they first met, he had still done it with good intentions. He had wanted to be a huntsman. A hero. One who helped others in need.

And that was exactly why he would have stopped her today had he known the truth. He would have told her that she was beautiful no matter what, and that she did not need a fancy dress for the dance. Jaune, however, was unaware of the truth. Miltia had told him that she and her sister were going to Vale in order to see a physician for an appointment to get her on birth control. Jaune's face had paled at the remark, and he could only nod. She knew that was territory he did not want to get involved with. She also knew that he would happily and readily agree to being on the pill. After their first time had involved no protection, it was something that was on both of their minds every time since. Miltia was still relieved that she had not gotten pregnant as a result.

While they had indeed gotten their hands on said birth control, the primary reason for going had been the dresses.

Melanie brought up her scroll, sighing before putting it back. "Five minutes."

Five more minutes to prepare. Five more minutes to fuss over the little details. She wanted to look as great as she could. Having never gone to any kind of school dance before, this was a once in a lifetime kind of experience for the girl. She sincerely hoped that she would not be here at Beacon a year from now for an opportunity to attend a second such event.

"Oh shit," Melanie said suddenly before stepping away from the mirror. "Almost forgot."

Miltia turned with a slightly concerned expression. She hoped nothing was wrong.

Meanwhile Melanie had moved over to one of the dressers which she had claimed. If they were going to be staying at this school for a while, they did not want to do so living out of a suitcase. Having their belongings neatly placed in drawers and a closet helped them feel a sense of stability in this new environment.

After a little bit of rummaging, Melanie came back with two small items clasped in her hands. "Here," she said handing one over to Miltia.

The younger twin recognized the item immediately. A pair of red and white decorative feathers complete with their clasp piece was handed to the girl. Miltia smiled at the familiarity of the old decoration. While her favorite dress may have again been in need of mending, at least this had survived. Luckily it went with her attire for the dance as well.

Fastening it to the left side of her head, she once more looked in the mirror. "Thanks," she smiled happily.

Melanie had attached her own white-teal flower piece to its usual spot in her hair as well. It offered a stark contrast to her black hair and dress, but it did help to accentuate her own pale, smooth skin. Wearing all black in general in place of her usual white and teal made Melanie look a great deal paler than usual. It did nothing to detract from her beauty, however. If anything it only made her seem even more exotic than usual.

She soon returned to admiring herself in the mirror. "Fuck, we really do look good."

Miltia was hard-pressed to disagree. They had gone above and beyond the requirements for a simple school dance.

"Think Jaune's gonna be able to keep his hands off you?" Melanie continued. "Maybe you should skip the dance and get straight to the after party."

Jaune getting his hands on her tonight was part of the plan. Just not in the way Melanie was insinuating. She wanted to dance with him. She wanted a romantic slow dance. The kind that would never be played in Junior's club. She had plenty of experience in dancing, just not the kind that she was looking for tonight. Jaune meanwhile claimed to be an expert dancer because of his seven sisters. One day she would like to meet these sisters. These girls who had created the most wonderful and perfect boyfriend imaginable. She wanted to personally thank them for their part in shaping the young man he had become.

"I wouldn't miss this night for a quick fuck," Miltia argued.

"I dunno, you seemed pretty horny after Jaune covered you in his warm white stuff."

Miltia's eyes widened as she spun to face her sister. "Melanie! What the fuck!"

"I was talking about that Aura thing he did," she said innocently. The knowing smile which accompanied her words betrayed the fact that she knew what she was saying and doing. She was simply trying to get a rise out of her sister. "Why do you have to be such a perv all the time, Mil?"

"Shut up. This coming from Miss Casual Sex herself?"

"Fuck you."

"Wow, desperate much?" Miltia smirked. "I mean, I'm your sister and all..."

Her sister sent a murderous glare in her direction. "Fuck. Off." The words were spoken slowly and deliberately. "Better?"

"Much."

"Don't make me out to be some creepy pervert."

"I mean..." Miltia said, intentionally trailing off at the end.

Melanie scoffed. "Just because I know how to have some fun doesn't make me a perv."

"Whatever. For your information I want to have a good time at the dance actually dancing." A moment passed before she held up an accusatory finger. "And I mean like, vertical dancing. Not that horizontal bullshit I know you were totally going to say."

"Yeah yeah, whatever," Melanie said dismissively. "Romance, dancing, all that good shit. Just be sure to save me a dance with him before the night's over, 'kay?"

Miltia nodded. It was a fair enough request. Truth be told she did feel a little bit bad that she had a date while her sister did not. While she was by no means going to share her boyfriend with her sister, a dance or two wouldn't hurt. Just as long as the girl did not take her usual teasing of the boy too far.

"Sure," she agreed. Miltia smiled as she spoke next. "You could always ask Ruby or Yang for a dance. I'm sure they'd love it since they're going alone too."

Melanie's eyes narrowed. "Fuck off. Again."

A soft giggle escaped her lips. "Didn't you have like, some nice long talk with Ruby the other day?"

"Not by choice."

Not by choice indeed. Miltia had all but kicked her sister out of the room in order to get some alone time with Jaune. Ruby had been Melanie's only option for entertainment. In all honesty, the girl did seem decent enough. She was wide-eyed and optimistic about the world. She was Jaune's friend too. Out of all the people here who they may potentially become friends with, Ruby was probably at the top of the list.

It was just a shame she was Yang's sister.

"So..." Melanie started. There seemed to actually be a small sense of apprehension in her tone when she spoke. "I never did really ask about that day."

"Hmm?"

"The bomb," she explained. "You getting hurt. What Jaune did. Whatever it was he did. What did it feel like?"

Miltia had a hard time rationalizing the feeling herself. She hadn't exactly been conscious at the time, but she still felt it. She knew what had happened despite not being able to explain it. She had felt Jaune inside of her in a completely different way. She had felt all of him. Every emotion. All of his pain. All of his joy. All of his care. Everything he felt for her, she felt. His Aura had touched hers. She had felt his soul touch her own. It was a powerful experience that was beyond description.

"It was..." she started to say.

"Orgasmic?"

Normally Miltia would have rolled her eyes at the lewd and crude suggestion. However...

Melanie saw that her sister had paused to consider the word. Her eyes widened in response. "No fucking way."

It was not literally orgasmic, no. However, with the level of intimacy they had shared before, and now this on top of it, it was hard not to describe what she had felt as pure bliss.

"For fuck's sake, I need to get me some of Jaune's white stuff," Melanie said knowingly.

Miltia's response this time was quick and concise. "Nope. Those magic hands belong to me."

"Oh come on. Just one time?"

"Nope."

"Bitch."

Miltia laughed. "Oh so I'm a bitch because I don't wanna share my boyfriend with you?"

"I'm not even talking about banging him!" Melanie argued. "I just wanna know what the Aura thing is like!"

It was intimate. Personal. For Miltia's body only. Was she being selfish? She didn't know. Surely if someone else ever got hurt he would use it on them as well. He would never leave someone to die simply because she wanted to be the only person to experience that kind of connection with the boy.

"Maybe I'll have to get hurt next time," Melanie continued. "Then Jaune can fill me up with his white stuff."

Now she was just being suggestive on purpose. Trying to get under her sister's skin. Well, it wouldn't work. Not on this night. Not when she had a wonderful and romantic evening planned with her boyfriend.

As if on cue there was a light knock on the door. It could only be one person. Normally Jaune would have never needed to knock on his own dorm room's door, but he had been specifically told to stay away while his date was preparing. Absence made the heart grow fonder, after all. And Miltia wanted to blow him away with her new dress before he escorted her down to the ballroom.

Taking a deep breath, Miltia wanted to move to answer the door, but suddenly felt a flurry of butterflies in her stomach. Why though? Why now of all times? It wasn't as if Jaune had never seen the extra skin that she was showing. He had seen more. He had seen all of her.

It had to be the dance. This stupid school dance that should not have mattered, and yet she still seemed to care about it. It was just a dance. They didn't even go to Beacon Academy. Not for real, at least. Who cares if other people saw her? In the looks department she knew that her risqué choice in eveningwear would blow all those children out of the water. Never mind the fact that she was only a year older than the first years. The point remained, however. She should not be nervous about this event. About a stupid little dance. About... another little slice of normalcy.

With her normal boyfriend.

"Fine, _I'll_ get it," Melanie said with a huff as she moved over to the door.

Miltia shook her head lightly to chase the thoughts from her mind. It was fine. Everything was fine. The dance didn't matter. She didn't care about dumb things like that. She was a fighter. A criminal. No amount of pretending to be normal would ever change that. No nice boyfriend would ever wash her hands of the things she had done. The lives she had ruined. The blood on her hands.

"Hey, Mel," she heard a voice say a few feet away. There was a slight pause before continuing. "Wow, you look great. Never seen you in black before."

"Oh stop," Melanie said sardonically. "You're gonna make _this one_ jealous."

She saw Jaune step inside, but the moment his eyes fell onto Miltia he stopped in his tracks. "Wow. Miltia. You look... amazing."

Miltia felt her face grow warmer with the compliment. This was so stupid! Why was everything so stupid? He had seen her naked, and yet she was blushing like a stupid school girl from a little comment like that?

Jaune looked good too. Very good. She had seen the clothes he currently wore many times before at Junior's club. The black pants and jacket he wore only made his already towering height seem even greater, especially when compared to herself. The blue tie brought out the beauty in his eyes. The gold double crescent lapel pin shone brightly to match his golden hair. All in all, he was a sight to behold. As the old saying went, clothes made the man. And right now he was a far handsomer sight than that Neptune guy could ever hope to be.

Or maybe she was just a little bit biased.

"Oh my gods, say something!" Melanie said suddenly.

Miltia hadn't known for how long she had been staring. She knew Jaune had complimented her, and then she had gotten lost in her own thoughts. Lost in the sight of her boyfriend. Wasn't that supposed to be a thing that only guys did?

"Oh, um, yeah," she said softly. Meekly. "You look really handsome, Jaune."

He smiled and shrugged, lightly scratching his neck nervously like he so often did. "Heh, thanks." His attention returned to focus solely on her once more. "But wow. You look great. I mean you always look great, Mil, but tonight you somehow look even extra nice."

She wanted to say that it was nothing and that she hadn't done all that much different, but that would be a lie. "Thanks."

"Okay, come on," Melanie said as she moved to grab her sister by the hand, dragging her over to Jaune. "You two can make kissy faces later, can we just go already?"

Miltia was surprised to see her sister so eager to attend the school event. She already had her purse and was ready to go. Why would she need it down there?

"Yeah, sounds good," Jaune said. He extended an arm out to Miltia. "Shall we?"

It was so lame, like something out of a romantic comedy movie. But because he had done it... "Sure," she said with a smile, and gladly linked her arm around his so that he may escort her down to the dance.

* * *

Ugh. This was so boring. When was the fun going to start?

Melanie had grown up in the night life. Parties. Clubs. Dancing the likes of which these _children_ had never before seen. And they were indeed children. They all may have been around her age, but they had never experienced anything real before. They had gone to their fancy little huntsman schools for years now. Been given the finest weapons. The best training. They were humanity's precious little defenders. They were the kingdom's attack dogs. They were good little child soldiers.

What did they know about reality? About brawling in the gutter with thugs who wanted a piece of your turf? Hitting up a local shop keep and reminding him that he owed your boss lien? Breaking a finger here and there? Leaving men battered and bloody in the alley?

Grimm were at least mindless monsters. She had learned that much in her short time here at Beacon. Men on the other hand... men had minds. They had a sense of mortality. They feared pain and death. It made fights against them so much more dangerous. There were so many more stakes. One slip up and the man you were beating down would take your life in a heartbeat.

Or one huntress.

Melanie glared over to the girl in question. Look at her. In that simple little white dress of hers. Playing hostess. Standing behind a podium like she was such a big shot. _Hi welcome to the dance! I hope you have a great time!_

Sickening. Stupid bitch. These people didn't know the real Yang Xiao Long.

She did not know how much time had passed since arriving. Ten minutes? Twenty? Who knows. What she did know was that Miltia and Jaune were enjoying their time together. At first they had gotten a couple cups of punch while they scoped the place out. Good. They wouldn't be affected. Not that it mattered anyway. Miltia had a high enough tolerance so that it probably wouldn't matter. Jaune on the other hand, while still a rookie in comparison, had the body mass to negate the worst effects from just one or two drinks.

But some of these people... they had had three, four, five drinks or more! This was going to be fun.

Fishing out her scroll, Melanie checked the time. She had indeed been here for twenty three minutes already. Just how many dances were her sister and Jaune going to share? These weren't even the fun, cool kinds of songs that the DJ would play at Junior's club. They were mostly slow. Steady. Intimate. The kind of things that lovers could enjoy. Perfect for those two lovebirds.

"Having fun?"

The voice caught Melanie off-guard, and she turned to see that Yang had approached her. Great. "Sure, why not."

She caught a slight frown on the blonde girl's lips, but it quickly dissipated. "Just waiting for your turn I guess? Don't worry, it'll get better once you're out there."

Melanie followed to where Yang had motioned, and saw that she had meant Miltia and Jaune. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Yang shrugged. "Look, I don't know how those poly-relationship thingies are supposed to work or anything, and I'm not here to judge. But I'm just guessing-"

She didn't have a chance to finish that thought before Melanie cut her off. "The fuck are you talking about?"

"What?"

"No really. Poly what?"

"Oh, um..." Yang suddenly looked a little bit nervous. "Uh... Ruby said that you and your sister were dating Jaune, so I just thought..."

Both? Dating Jaune? Just what kind of degenerate did this bitch take her for?

"Well we're not," she said sharply. "Why the fuck do you care anyway?"

"Look, I'm just trying to be nice, okay? Jaune said you and your sister weren't so bad, so... I don't know."

Of course he did, because he was such a good guy. Trying to mend fences. Build bridges. All that shit. Jaune hadn't had his home wrecked by that stupid blonde bimbo. He hadn't had his sister beaten to a bloody pulp by her. He hadn't nearly had his life ruined because she wanted to have a little fun.

Fuck Yang Xiao Long.

"Yeah? Well fuck off. I don't need your pity."

Those had apparently been the magic words, and the friendly demeanor that the girl had been displaying was replaced with frustration. "Fine, whatever. Just stand over here alone all night watching your sister dance. See what I care."

"I don't see you with a date either."

"Yeah, I had a dance to organize. So tell Jaune and your sister to thank me later when it's over. Okay?"

"Whatever."

"Yeah. Whatever."

Yang left without giving Melanie a chance to retort. Not that she had anything more to say anyway.

She needed a palette cleanser. That little experience had left a bad taste in her mouth. What better thing to do that trick than a little school punch with an extra kick?

It would have no affect on Melanie. She could drink every one of these students, and probably most of the teachers under the table. Maybe not that Port guy. If his ridiculous stories were to be believed, he once drank an entire barrel of ale provided by a local tavern after saving the town from a pack of Grimm. If that was the kind of treatment huntsmen usually got from grateful civilians, then maybe Melanie would have to reconsider her opinion on the profession.

A glance over to her left showed that Yang had wandered off to go talk to that ex-terrorist girl. She wore a rather simple dress as well. Pretty much everyone here did. Only Melanie herself and her sister had gone above and beyond in that department. They had to. It was the only thing they had on these people. Aspiring huntsmen and huntresses who were being handed everything. Power. Knowledge. She knew she couldn't compete with all of that. But at least she could look better than them.

Speaking of girls who had everything, it seemed that the first victim had just revealed herself. And it was none other than the child prodigy herself, Ruby-fucking-Rose.

With such a small frame it was little wonder she was starting to look a little bit tipsy from the spiked punch. Ruby had probably never tasted a drop of alcohol in her life. If she had actually stepped foot onto the dance floor, the girl would have probably assumed that what she was feeling right now was just from dehydration. In any case, the girl went back to the well once more, and got herself another cup of punch. This wasn't going to end well.

After watching the girl take a long sip, Melanie approached her. "What's up, Ruby?"

She saw how Ruby blinked hard a few times. Feeling around behind her with a free hand, Ruby finally found the table, and then placed her cup down onto it. "Oh. Hi, Melanie."

Her motor skills were sloppy. Yeah. This chick was so gone.

"So... liking the dance thing so far? Pretty lame if you ask me."

Ruby nodded slowly. "Well, uh, I u-usually don't like dances and ssstuff." Add slurring to the list. "But I like punch!"

 _Oh I bet you do,_ Melanie thought with a smirk. "Totally. That stuff any good?"

She nodded again, this time more emphatically. "Yeah! Real good!"

It was cheap vodka, but it got the job done. It didn't need to taste good. It would be overpowered by the fruitiness of the punch anyway. No need to waste anything good from her personal stash.

Melanie glanced over to where Yang stood again. Her eyes narrowed a moment later before turning back to look at Ruby. "So, Ruby. Dance with me?"

Silver eyes widened with sudden clarity. "Um, I don't know how..."

"Come on, it's easy." The raven-haired girl grabbed Ruby gently by the wrist before giving her a soft tug. "Don't worry, I totally know how to dance."

Without being given time to protest, and not having the strength to do so even if she wanted to, Ruby was dragged by Melanie onto the dance floor. It was true, Melanie had danced hundreds of times before to every kind of song. With male partners and female. To fast-paced club mixes and slow romantic songs. The latter might not have been her preferred choice, but growing up in a nightclub made her well-versed to just about everything.

Pulling the girl close to her, Melanie felt her pulse begin to increase drastically. This was a dangerous game she was playing right now. A deliberate game. Another glance over at Yang showed that the girl had not yet noticed that she was dancing with her precious baby sister. She would in time. All she needed was time.

All around her she saw couples dancing to the slow melody. Some of them were probably lovers like Miltia and Jaune were. Others just friends. But just how many of them were frenemies like herself and Ruby were?

Ruby's body was still stiff in her arms, and the younger girl's hands were barely touching Melanie herself. She may have been drunk, but she was also uncomfortable with this level of closeness. She was indeed such an innocent little flower. And those were the most fun kinds to pluck from the ground.

"Relax, little huntress," she said softly. An equally soft smile played on her lips as she looked into wide silver eyes. "It's just a little school dance, right? Try to have some fun."

Those same eyes averted from Melanie's gaze as she answered. "S-sure."

How precious. This little girl had absolutely no experience at all with any kind of intimacy. Not even a simple dance with friends.

 _Friends._

As if.

"That's right. We're all friends here. You. Me. Everyone."

With Melanie in the lead, Ruby's compromised motor skills weren't having too detrimental of an effect on their dance. She was almost like a limp noodle in the older girl's arms. Putty to be molded to her liking. Someone to be controlled.

Melanie liked to be in control.

"S-so... why are we dancing again?" Ruby asked. "I mean it's nice and all but..."

With a smirk continuing to grace her lips, Melanie looked across the room to see where her sister and Jaune still danced. "Well, my sister and Jaune are a thing now." Emerald eyes focused back onto Ruby. "And only Miltia. Not me. Got it?"

Ruby nodded. "Oh. Right."

Melanie sighed softly before going on. "So of course she totally gets the first dance. And the second. And the third. So I gotta wait to get my turn with him. And then I saw you." Saw her she had, but she wasn't about to tell Ruby the whole truth. "So I just decided, hey, I'll dance with Ruby until he's free. I didn't wanna be lonely all night, ya know?"

The girl in red nodded once more. She had been doing that a lot. Probably the alcohol. "Yeah. That makes sense."

"And you looked lonely too. Poor little Ruby, sitting all by herself next to the punch bowl." She moved her face a couple inches closer toward the redhead. "That's not how you wanted to spend your first big dance, is it?"

"Uh... guess not."

Another look over to Yang showed that she had finally gotten the girl's attention. Lilac eyes were locked onto the dancing pair like a hawk that had sighted its prey. They burned with focus. Intensity. Threat.

Oh yes. Please make a scene here at Beacon Academy. Please show everyone just what kind of bitch you truly are. Ruin everyone's good time. Trash the place just like Junior's club.

So far though the girl hadn't made a move. But she was watching. Melanie had a captivated audience for her dance with Ruby. She wanted to give a good show.

"So are you having a good time now?"

Ruby shrugged. "I guessss. I've never danced before... am I doing okay?"

Just fine. Easy to move. Easy to control. Easy to dominate.

"You're doing great, Ruby," Melanie whispered. "Totally great."

At this distance she could smell the alcohol on Ruby's breath. She probably wasn't full-blown drunk, but definitely tipsy. Open to suggestion. It was probably why this normally shy girl had gone along with her in the first place. Her body wasn't the only thing that was easy to manipulate.

"Oh. Good. I didn't wanna be here. But this is... nice I guess."

It was indeed nice. Poor little Ruby Rose may have been a capable fighter. More than capable of beating Melanie herself in a fight. But she was an absolute lightweight when it came to her alcohol. She was light in general.

Ruby was small. Petite. The girl had a soft and slender body, but there was still a surprising amount of muscle tone underneath her dress. Her body had seen plenty of action. Just not the kind of action that Melanie had experience with.

From the perspective of one who didn't know her, Ruby was little more than a sweet and unassuming girl. Shy and docile. There was so much fun that could be had with a girl like her.

"Glad to hear it."

Melanie glanced over at Yang again, and shot her a knowing smirk. The blonde couldn't do a damn thing about her sister dancing with her. Not without looking like a bitch. And she couldn't stop what was about to happen next.

The song reached its end, and the pairs of dancers had begun to slow down and separate. Melanie herself had stopped a second ago, and it took Ruby a moment for her mind to catch up with her partner's movements. Soon enough the young huntress just stood there in Melanie's arms.

With a slight tilt of her head, Melanie spoke. "Thank you for the dance, Ruby."

"Yeah. It was kinda fu-"

Ruby didn't have a chance to finish her thought. Melanie dipped her head down and pressed her lips against Ruby's. The taste of fruit and alcohol hit her tongue as it pushed its way past Ruby's virgin lips, and took the girl in a deep, hungry kiss.

* * *

By the gods, this girl was beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.

She always had been, of course. Even in her usual clothes. But there had also always been a little bit of an edge to her. With her normal short red and black dress, thigh high boots and curved claws, Miltia was an intimidating sight to behold. Now, however, in this tight, form-fitting red dress she wore, all of her body's curves were accented in a way that Jaune simply could not ignore. She was amazing. Stunning. And she had eyes for him only.

Just as he only had eyes for her.

There were times he had to keep those eyes from wandering, however. _Eyes above the neck, Jaune,_ he had to mentally tell himself. _Look into her eyes. Not... not..._

Of course he had no problem looking into those gorgeous green eyes that sparkled like gemstones. It was just the fact that she was wearing a dress far more mature than the students around them which caused his eyes to want to wander.

There was a solution to that "problem" of his. Hold her closer. Make it so that errant eyes could only look into hers. Jaune did just that. With one arm wrapped around Miltia's slender waist, he pulled the girl's body closer to him as they continued to enjoy the slow dance. Stomachs and chests pressed together, and in spite of their height difference their faces were now only inches apart. She did not seem to have any problem with this development, and smiled happily as she leaned her head in to rest it near his collarbone.

The feathered decoration she wore in her hair brushed against his nose as she did so, and Jaune had to turn his head slightly to avoid being tickled by it even more. As he did so he got a glimpse of the other teens dancing around him. The dance was a slow one with obvious romantic undertones to it, but from what he could see none of the other students were treating it quite the same way he and Miltia were. The fact that the two shared an intimate relationship mattered greatly in that regard. He had no idea if any of the other couples on the dance floor could say that they had the same thing.

Jaune could only smile as he looked down at a head of black hair resting on his chest. "Having fun, Mil?"

He felt how her head nodded slightly against his body. "Mmhmm."

His arms briefly tightened around her to give the girl a tiny hug. "Good. I think we needed something like this after everything that happened. I mean I know it's not your usual kind of scene, but..."

Miltia pulled her head back from him and looked up to meet his gaze once more. "Doesn't matter," she said softly. "I like this kind of dancing too."

Jaune knew that both she and her sister were probably used to completely different kinds of dances and parties while working at Junior's club. Techno. Electronica. Songs with heavy amounts of bass and synthesizers were the norm for that place. Traditional slow dance music on the other hand? Waltzes? Jaune may have been experienced from growing up with seven sisters, but he was surprised by how easily Miltia had adapted to the music.

"Hey, Jaune?"

His attention focused back on her, only to see how her eyes darted away once they had made contact with hers. "Yeah?"

Emerald eyes focused on golden Arc lapel pin he wore. "About... what happened before..."

It was an unusual time and place to bring up such a thing, especially because they had done so before. However, Jaune was not about to stop his girlfriend from speaking her mind. "Yeah?"

"That Aura thingy you did..."

Conversely to how Jaune had tightened his arms around her only moments before, Miltia squeezed Jaune tightly as she spoke, or rather stopped speaking. For someone of her size and build she was surprisingly strong, and Jaune winced slightly as her grip on him increased.

"What about it?"

She still would not meet his eyes as she continued to speak. "You've been training it... does that mean you can do it whenever you want now?"

So far Jaune's lessons with Glynda had been about exploring the possibilities and limits of his Semblance. Aura Amplification as she called it, was useful for more than just healing himself or his comrades. He could focus his Aura in a single place on his body. With enough training he could potentially form an impenetrable shield on a certain portion of his body. He could turn his fists or feet into lethal weapons that could punch through steel. At least that was what Glynda had hypothesized. Without more testing and training, there was no telling just what the limits of such a Semblance could be. But whatever those limits were, the woman seemed eager to learn them.

For now he could perform basic feats with his Semblance. Including healing like he had done to Miltia. "Yeah, I guess. Why?"

"Um... no reason."

Jaune couldn't help but breath out a tiny laugh as the girl once more pressed her head into his chest. As if to hide her embarrassment. He wasn't about to let her off the hook that easily, however. "Come on, Mil. What's up?"

With her face against his chest it was hard to hear her soft words. "It felt nice..."

He remembered her words from their first night at Beacon. When Miltia had kicked Melanie out of their room before becoming extremely aggressive with him. It had been a stark contrast from her usual demeanor. From how she was acting at this very moment. She had told him how she felt his Aura touch hers. How close she had felt to him as a result. Not being on the receiving end of such a thing, Jaune could only imagine what it might feel like. Healing her with his Aura must have been a very intimate experience for the girl.

"So maybe... the next time we... you know." She still refused to meet his gaze. She was absolutely adorable. This hardened fighter, this criminal enforcer, could not muster the strength to look at him when discussing this intimate subject. "Could you do it the next time we..."

He knew what she was about to say. However, she never had a chance to express the words before being interrupted. Maybe it was better for the girl that way.

"You bitch!"

The loud scream tore through the room and over the sound of the music. Miltia's head rose from Jaune's chest and both turned to look at the source of the commotion. Yang was on the warpath. With burning red eyes and equally fiery golden hair, she was blazing a trail across the floor.

Straight toward Melanie and Ruby.

"Oh for fuck sake what did she do..." Miltia whispered.

Jaune had no idea. But much like Miltia, he could not help but feel that whatever had happened was all Melanie's fault.

Students all around the blonde girl parted, not wanting to stand in the way of her and her prey. No one had a death wish like that.

Looking back down at his girlfriend, Jaune made a fateful decision. "We should do something."

Miltia nodded, and the two set off on an intercept course between the two respective older sisters. Perhaps Jaune did have a death wish after all. Making the decision to stand in front of an unstoppable force would result in nothing but pain.

Pushing past the still and staring students, Jaune and Miltia were easily able to get to Melanie and Ruby a few seconds before Yang was. The raven-haired girl looked ready to fight, or at least dodge the impending attacks from the blonde. Hopefully it would not come to that.

"Yang!" Jaune shouted as he moved to stand in her way. Those red eyes were terrifying. It was like the girl he knew wasn't inside of that head anymore. "Yang!"

Bloodthirsty eyes focused on him. "What!"

"Yang, calm down." Jaune looked around and saw that while the music was still playing, no one was dancing anymore. "Come on. Calm down. What happened?"

"This bitch just kissed my sister!"

Oh. He hadn't been expecting that.

Jaune looked back to see an utterly unrepentant Melanie standing behind him. Ruby on the other hand wore a blush that was as red as her dress.

Someone was going to die here tonight. Jaune didn't think his Semblance would be able to stop that.

"Now move so I can kill her!"

Yup. He had been right on that one.

"Yang, please," he insisted. He could feel the heat emanating from girl at this distance. "People are staring. Maybe we can discuss this outside?"

"Fuck outside! Move right now, Jaune!"

"What, are they the only ones allowed to kiss here at Beacon?" Melanie asked as she pointed to Jaune and Miltia.

Jaune turned to level a finger at the older girl. "Melanie, shut up. Now."

Green eyes widened. He had never spoken to her like that before. However right now things were a lot more serious than usual. This was no time for screwing around.

He felt a hand grip the front of his shirt, and felt as though the fabric might rip at any moment under the stress. "Look, Jaune," Yang said through gritted teeth. "I like you and all, but if you don't move this instant I will make you move."

Of that he had no doubt. However... he couldn't just let Yang assault Melanie like she wanted to. Flashbacks of the night he had first met the twins came rushing to the forefront of his mind. A ruined club. A shattered dance floor. Was history about to repeat itself? Not if he could help it.

Focusing his Aura all he could, Jaune prepared to make his face into an immovable object.

The hit never came, but words did. "What seems to be the problem here?"

Jaune saw how Yang's fire had gone out at the sound of those calm, smooth words. Figuratively and literally. Crimson eyes returned to their normal lilac shade, while blonde hair no longer burned with the fire of a sun.

Both Jaune and Yang turned to see the source of those words, and saw a tall man with silver hair approaching them.

"H-headmaster Ozpin," Yang said.

The Headmaster of Beacon Academy was here? Well, it had been a nice run. But after what Melanie had just done, he was sure that the three of them would no longer be welcome here.

"Now, now," the man said with seemingly no trace of anger in his voice. "Whatever quarrel is going on between all of you is surely not worth coming to blows over, is it?"

Jaune wasn't exactly sure about that. If Ozpin knew the truth he might just take Yang's side on this one. Then again the man might only care about making sure that this evening went smoothly.

In any case, the disaster had been averted. Perhaps only temporarily. Yang was not about to continue causing a scene in front of the Headmaster of the school. There would be no violence here tonight.

"Right," Yang said uneasily. And not at all convincingly. Grabbing her sister by the hand, she pulled her to follow. "Come on, Ruby. Let's go get some fresh air."

Jaune couldn't notice how Ruby stumbled as she was dragged away by Yang. He would need to ask about that later on when things calmed down.

"Mr. Arc."

Jaune was stirred from his thoughts and looked over to the man who regarded him curiously behind a set of glasses. "Yeah?"

"I do hope you are enjoying your time at my academy so far." There was still no trace of anger in his voice. Nothing that seemed to indicate he knew or cared about the details of what had just occurred. "There is something I wish to discuss with you in the next few days. For now though the staff and I must deal with replacing some... tainted punch. Enjoy the rest of your evening."

As quickly as he had come, Ozpin walked away. Odd. Very odd. Did he really not care about the incident that had just taken place? Were they not going to be kicked out of Beacon? And what exactly did Ozpin want to discuss with him?

Whatever the case was, students began to return to normal and resumed their own dances and conversations. Soon enough Jaune was left standing in the middle of the crowd with the twins.

"What the fuck did you do!" Miltia whispered harshly to her sister.

"What?" Melanie asked innocently. "Just having a little fun, that's all. Isn't that like, what we're here for?"

"Not making out with other students!"

"Oh but it's totally okay when you and Jaune do it?"

"Jaune and me are dating. _You_ on the other hand only kissed Ruby to piss Yang off."

Melanie shrugged softly, and gently flipped a few errant locks of hair over her shoulder. "Guilty," she said a little too happily.

Great. Life was about to become a whole lot more complicated. Jaune had tried hard to convince Yang that the twins weren't all that bad of people. It had seemed like she actually believed it too. But now this had happened. Melanie had ruined all that progress. All just for a petty little bit of revenge.

Revenge on an innocent girl.

"You shouldn't have done that," he whispered harshly. "Not to Ruby."

"Whatever."

She made a move to walk away, but was stopped when Jaune grabbed her arm. She spun around to see anger in his eyes. "No. Not whatever. Like it or not she's still my friend. And when things settle down you're going to apologize to her."

For long seconds hard green eyes stared into equally intense blue. Jaune wasn't letting his gaze waver before the normally intimidating girl. He was pissed. It didn't matter that Melanie had in the past, and still could kick his ass. She had crossed a line tonight.

Miltia, almost playing the role of a mediator, stepped next to both of them and placed a hand on each of their arms. "Guys..."

"You can hate Yang all you want," Jaune continued. "After what she did, I get it. But not Ruby. She didn't hurt you. Got it?"

The elder twin scoffed, looking away from Jaune before speaking. "Fine. Whatever. I'm fucking out of here anyway. Lame-ass fucking dance."

Melanie ripped her arm away from Jaune's grip and stormed off. Neither made an attempt to follow.

"What's her problem?" Jaune asked.

With a small frown on her face, Miltia shook her head. "I dunno. I don't think she's been having a good time at Beacon so far."

It was understandable. Jaune was used to rules and structure growing up. He had a loving and supportive family. While he hadn't attended a combat school before, he was used to being in a class environment. For the twins, however, Beacon must have been stifling to them. Things like curfew, mandatory classes, and being unable to leave the campus must have been torture for their free spirits. For Melanie especially.

"What should we do?"

Miltia shrugged. "Dunno. Probably just give her a little space for now. I'll try to talk to her tonight or something."

It was as good of a plan as any. Melanie needed to cool off. With her gone from the dance hopefully there would be no further incidents.

He only hoped that they'd be able to enjoy the rest of their evening despite the mood being ruined.

* * *

Yang was furious.

It was taking all of her strength and will not to let her hair burst into flames once more as she and Ruby stepped out into the open air. If the cool evening was supposed to cool her off, it was so far failing in doing so.

That bitch Melanie had just kissed her sister. Spitefully. Deliberately. Yang was by no means an expert on Ruby's romantic life, but she knew for a fact that the girl had no romantic life. That had been her first kiss. Stolen by that criminal. She knew why too. All to get to Yang herself.

It had worked.

She was going to beat that girl into a bloody pulp when given the opportunity. Jaune's friend or not, Melanie was going to pay for what she had done to her little sister.

It was probably for the best that they had stepped outside. Yang did not want other people to see her in this state. A state where she wanted to punch something, anything. Sadly the only two people around were Ruby and Weiss. The white-haired girl had had no date as well, and after fussing around with some of the flowers and other decorations, had only sat on the sidelines watching others dance. When she had seen Yang and Ruby leaving, the girl was only too happy to tag along with them.

"Ow, Yang," she heard through the angry haze which clouded her mind. "You can let go now."

Yang shook her head in an attempt to clear the thoughts from it. Looking back she saw that her hand was firmly clamped around Ruby's wrist. It had been ever since she had led her sister away from the dance.

"Sorry, Ruby," she said. Yang looked her sister up and down as if checking for battle injuries. She knew, however, that any injuries she may have suffered tonight would be on the inside. "Are you okay?"

Ruby blinked hard. "Huh? Why wouldn't I be?"

"After you were... you were..." Yang did not want to give utterance to what had just happened. She decided to change the wording before going on. "After being kissed."

"Wait, what?" Weiss shrieked. "Someone kissed Ruby? _She_ got her first kiss before me?"

Of course that's what Weiss would have gotten out of the conversation. Yang was still surprised the girl had not come to the dance with Neptune. She had seemingly had a crush on the guy.

Her sister looked as if she was blushing slightly in the night's sky, and looked away before speaking. "Uh... I'm fine I guesssss? It's not like it hurt or sssomething."

Why had she slurred that last word? Was she...? No. No way. Was Ruby drunk? What else had gone on in there that she was unaware of?

"Ruby. Say the alphabet backwards."

"Tebala!"

Yang opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. It wasn't exactly what she had meant, but the fact that Ruby had _almost_ managed to say the word "alphabet" in reverse that quickly was still impressive.

"How did she do that so quickly?" Weiss asked, giving voice to Yang's own thoughts.

The blonde had no idea either.

She moved closer to her sister, grabbing hold of her arms and looking closely into her silver eyes. There was a slight swaying of Ruby's body that she could feel in their embrace. Her eyes meanwhile did have a slightly dull and glassed over look to them. Yup. She was drunk. Maybe not too much, but she was still intoxicated nonetheless.

"I'm gonna kill that bitch..." Yang whispered.

Ruby gasped. "Why am I a bitch?"

"Not you, Ruby. The bitch who I can only assume got you drunk before... before..."

She still had a hard time saying the words. Her poor little sister had been defiled.

"Before what?" she asked innocently.

"Nothing." With any luck maybe Ruby would just forget the whole incident ever took place. Maybe the alcohol was a good thing.

"Yang? Can you let go of me now?"

"Oh no. I'm not letting you out of my sight for the rest of the night. We should really get you back to the dorm right now."

"But... I dun wanna puke on you..." There was such an earnestness to the statement that Yang could not help but smile, despite the circumstances. There was the downside of having too much to drink. And in Ruby's case it probably hadn't been too much at all.

"Okay," Yang said as she released Ruby from her grip. "Go over there in those bushes. But after that we're going back to the dorm."

"Bussshes?" she asked. "But there's guys sleeping there."

"What?"

Ruby pointed out to behind where Yang and Weiss were standing, and sure enough, there were two men in the bushes. Two men in Atlesian combat armor. Both unconscious. And hopefully nothing more than that.

"Oh shit..." Yang whispered.

A pair of soldiers were down. She had been so focused on Ruby that she hadn't noticed them or where they were. A look around finally revealed where they had wandered off to. They were right next to the CCT tower.

Were they guards meant to protect the place? If so, did that mean someone was now inside the vital building? And even if not, the fact that two soldiers had been assaulted was not good. Not at all.

"Weiss, go find a teacher and get help," Yang ordered.

The heiress nodded. "What about you?"

"I'm going to see if there's anything I can do to help the soldiers. Ruby, stay by me, got it?"

The dull sound of metal impacting on dirt filled the air, and Yang looked up to see the source. Ruby had not stayed by her. She was already over by her rocket locker which had just been summoned to their coordinates. Crescent Rose was out and deployed in all its glory.

"Come on! Let's go fight the bad guys!"

"Ruby! No!"

It was too late. Yang knew that there was no stopping the girl now. Drunk or not, Ruby wanted to play the hero. All Yang could do was make sure that she didn't get herself hurt in the process.

She followed her sister into the CCT tower.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** So it's been just over one year since I first published this story. I had wanted to get this chapter out yesterday to hit the one year anniversary, but it wasn't going to be done in time. In any case, as always, I want to thank all of you for your interest and support of this story. When I first started it, I never could have imagined people would care so much about the Malachite twins. I was just writing a crack ship because I wanted to do something different. But after seeing so many people say things like they love my portrayal of the twins, and that they can't imagine anyone else's headcanon over my own, it's really inspiring to know I've created something that so many people enjoy. So thank you so very much for all of that.

Moving onto what may be a controversial part of the chapter. Make no mistake about it, Melanie _is_ a bad person. She's spiteful. Lewd. Crude. She hurts people. She likes to have control over those who are weaker than herself. And that's what makes her so much fun! Using her body as a weapon, or weaponized sex, is right up her alley. Ruby was just collateral damage in her quest for revenge against Yang.

Questions, comments or concerns? Did you like the Rube getting lewded? Let me know. I'd love to answer any questions if I can.

Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed the chapter.


	25. Chapter 25

She could not believe she was actually here. It was like something out of one of those dumb teenage movies.

Melanie sat across from the deputy headmistress of Beacon Academy, Glynda Goodwitch. The woman sat behind her desk with her hands folded neatly, and Melanie felt like she had gotten sent to the principal's office after getting in trouble in class. This was a joke. This was all utter nonsense. She hated this place. She hated the rules and the regulations. She hated the classes. She hated the people. And for some reason, despite barely even knowing the woman, she hated Glynda.

There was no question that Melanie was not a fan of authority. People like her sister and Junior did not count. They were family. Their opinions counted for something. Not upsetting them actually mattered to the girl. But Glynda-fucking-Goodwitch? Fuck her! What authority did she have to tell Melanie what to do? It wasn't as if she wanted to be in this stupid little school. It wasn't as if she wanted to be surrounded by all those bratty teenagers who dreamed of being huntsmen and huntresses. If she had it her way, she would leave in an instant. She would take her chances out on the streets.

At least there she felt at home. It was her turf. She knew how people thought. She knew how they would act. She could prepare herself accordingly. She could even launch a preemptively attack on those who might be a threat. But here at Beacon Academy? Everything and everyone was so unfamiliar. Most of them were as strong, if not stronger than herself. And that was a very foreign, as well as a very uncomfortable feeling. Melanie did not like the feeling of helplessness. The feeling of not being in control.

And here in this office, she had no control. The fact that Glynda had not spoken a word to her since inviting her inside to sit spoke volumes. Glynda would control the pace. She would control the questioning. She would begin when she was good and ready to. Not a moment sooner.

Looking down through the lenses of a pair of thin glasses, she was studying paperwork in silence. Annoyance was quickly building up in Melanie's mind. If she wasn't ready to talk, then why did she demand that she come to meet her so early in the morning? She could be sleeping right now. But no. This old lady had demanded that they talk about _something_. Typical for a huntress to not be prepared. Melanie couldn't help but feel she shouldn't be surprised, but at the same time that would detract from her anger and annoyance. And right now she needed a target for both of those things.

Finally, the blonde woman was finished reading the papers on her desk and looked up. "Miss Malachite," she began in a stern tone. "I assume you already know why I asked you to see me."

The way she had spoken the words pissed Melanie off even more. It wasn't even a question. She was just inferring that Melanie knew why she was here. Like she was guilty of something.

Melanie was guilty of a lot of things. Things that Glynda both most likely knew about, and things that she did not. The lady would have to be a lot more specific.

"Nope," she answered flippantly

The tension in the air grew slightly more palpable as Glynda's eyes narrowed slightly. Oh she did not enjoy being treated in such a dismissive manner. Melanie would have to keep that in the back of her mind from now on.

"Your actions at last night's dance have caused quite a few problems for our academy," Glynda explained. "Both for the students and faculty."

Ah yes, the dance. What a magical evening that had been. A good time was had by all.

Or at least by her. And in the end, wasn't that all that mattered?

"Look, I can't help if I was so much hotter than all the other girls there," Melanie said innocently. She knew that wasn't what the issue was, but she would be a liar if she said that she didn't love trying to bullshit her way out of drama. "Like, we all had the same amount of time to buy a dress. Shit, I had even less time than-"

"Watch your language when you're in my presence, Miss Malachite."

Was this chick for real? Shit wasn't a bad word. Okay, maybe to some people it was. Maybe for children like Ruby. But for a huntress? Why did she care? It wasn't as if she said 'fuck'. Or 'cunt'. She hadn't called Glynda a 'cock sucking cum dumpster'. Maybe she should, just to see how the woman would react.

Actually, maybe a good dicking was all the woman needed to loosen up a little bit. She wondered if Miltia would be okay with loaning her man out for a night. It would be an act of charity. Something for the good of all three of them. If Jaune could convince Glynda to be less of a hard ass, then they'd all have a better time at Beacon.

"Whatever," the raven-haired girl breathed.

Unflinching emerald eyes stared into her own as Glynda continued. "I think you're very aware that your choice of attire is not the issue at hand here. What you did last night is absolutely inexcusable. If you were a student here then I would have you suspended. Perhaps even expelled."

For the first time since arriving, Melanie lamented the fact that she was not a student of Beacon Academy. The irony that she could not be kicked out due to the fact that she was not actually enrolled here was not lost on the girl.

Still, that begged the question of why Glynda didn't just kick her out in the first place. She _wasn't_ a student. Therefore the woman didn't need a legitimate reason to make her leave.

"So I can leave then?" she asked hopefully.

The woman seemed to stiffen at the question. "Unfortunately that is not an option. I have agreed to take you and your sister into our care for the immediate future, and I do not go back on my word. So long as you do not prove to be more of a burden than you are worth, your stay here at Beacon is assured."

That made no sense. It also pissed her off. However at the same time, that gave the girl an entertaining little idea. Just how far was too far? How much could she get away with? How great was Beacon's, and by extension, Glynda's hospitality?

Melanie decided to poke the bear a little bit more. "But... you can't force me to stay either."

"No, I cannot," she agreed. "However, do try to think about more people than just yourself. Your sister for example. Mr. Arc as well."

Yeah, those two were having a great old time playing house on Beacon's campus. Sleeping in the same bed. Eating together. Attending class together. Training together. Everything was peachy-fucking-keen for those two.

Maybe they should think about her and her own happiness for a change.

The thought of how much they had, and how much she didn't, put the already agitated girl into an even fouler mood. "Yeah, whatever," she said bitterly. "Can I go now?"

"No. We have not even discussed why you are here, so let us get back on track. You are here for two reasons. First, spiking the punch and causing a number of unsuspecting students to become ill."

Ill. That was one way of putting it. Most of those kids had probably never tasted a drop of alcohol in their lives. She knew Ruby probably hadn't. Seeing the drunk little girl had been hilarious. Well worth attending the dance. The little taste of revenge she got had been icing on the cake.

And what a taste it was indeed.

"The second is the matter of you sexually harassing one of the students," Glynda continued. "Such an act is unacceptable and will not go unpunished. We take these kinds of things very seriously here at Beacon."

Sexual harassment? What was she even talking about? "I didn't harass anyone." Melanie may have been an unrepentant bitch, but she did not like being accused of crimes she did not commit. She would gladly own up to the ones she did. If her bullshitting failed, that was.

"I am referring to the incident of kissing Ruby Rose," she explained. "We have a zero tolerance policy for sexual harassment, and you will be punished accordingly."

Was this woman for real? Since when was kissing someone sexual harassment? "Oh my gods, it was just a kiss. Stop being such a drama queen."

Those eyes narrowed even further. "This is a very serious issue. Do not attempt to downplay your actions as 'just a kiss'."

"I mean, it's not like I fucked her or anything."

"What did I tell you about your language?" Glynda snapped. "In my presence and in my office you _will_ treat me with respect. You will treat this school and its students with that same respect. Do I make myself clear?"

"Or what? You'll expel me?"

The fact that Glynda momentarily froze spoke volumes to the girl. Melanie may not have been the smartest girl when it came to academics, but she was street smart. She knew how to read people. And right now, she could tell that the last thing Glynda wanted to do was kick her out of Beacon. She just didn't know why.

"You _will_ respect the students, faculty and traditions of this academy," the woman repeated. The fact that she had not commented on the topic of expulsion was obvious to the girl.

Melanie flipped a portion of her hair over her shoulder as a smirk formed on her lips. "Whatever. I bet she liked it anyway," referring to the kiss.

"Whether she liked it or not is not the issue here. The bottom line is that we do not tolerate that kind of behavior in this school. The world does not tolerate it either."

Easy for her to say from her little ivory tower here at Beacon. A place that had a literal tower to look down upon Vale from. Glynda clearly didn't know what real life was like on the streets. In the gutters of Vale, where assault, robbery, rape, and worse were just a part of life. For those who were not so fortunate to have their Aura unlocked. For those who were not trained to fight back.

"You wanna talk about sex and stuff? You do realize that your dorms are co-ed, right? I mean, Jaune and Miltia share a bed."

She knew that Glynda knew. However, the fact that this woman was making such a fuss about a kiss, when half of the student body were probably already banging each other was hilarious.

"I am aware of that fact, yes," Glynda said through gritted teeth.

"So how much 'harassment'," Melanie said as she made air quotations. "Do you think goes on every damn night? Do you give the kids free condoms or what? 'Cause I'm amazed there aren't like, a million pregnancies every year."

"We are not getting off-topic again. Save your inappropriate conversations for your sister and Mr. Arc."

Oh yeah. This woman so needed to get laid. Seeing how high-strung she was over a little sexual talk proved as much.

Whatever. Melanie was bored now. "So can I go now?" she asked again.

"Not quite. There is still one thing left to do before I allow you to return to your room. You will apologize to Miss Rose for what you did last night."

 _Allow_. Like she even had that kind of authority. Melanie knew now that Glynda wanted her to attend Beacon Academy. Or, that she could not afford to let her leave. But stopping short of actually physically restraining her, there was nothing the woman could do to actually force her to remain at this school.

There was a soft knock on the door from the outside. Glynda's eye shifted momentarily. "Perfect timing," she commented. Her next words were louder, addressing the one on the other side of the door. "Come in."

Looking back, Melanie saw the door open. Much to her surprise, and a little bit of anger, it was Ruby and Yang who walked through.

The glare that the blonde girl shot her way was nothing short of hateful. Melanie could understand why. But at the same time, she didn't care. Now Yang knew how it felt to lose something she cared about. Now she knew how it felt for her sister to be assaulted. Now she knew how Melanie had felt on the night Junior's club had been attacked and trashed.

That little blonde bitch deserved nothing less than what she had got last night.

Ruby on the other hand, she looked as awkward and nervous as ever. Even more so, if that was even possible. Those silver eyes of hers could not even meet her own for more than a split second before darting away in a panic.

Glynda gestured with a hand to a pair of unoccupied seats. "Please, take a seat."

Yang grabbed both seats and moved them a few inches further away from Melanie than they already were. In practice it did nothing to affect their proximity to one another. However, the feeling behind the act was conveyed with the utmost clarity.

The fact that Yang ushered her sister into the seat furthest away from Melanie was blatantly obvious, and she knew why. There was a big, dumb, blonde bimbo in between the two girls from the incident now. Melanie would be forced to go through Yang to get to her again.

"Miss Xiao Long, Miss Rose," Glynda began as she nodded to each of the girls in turn. "I have discussed the incident which occurred last night Miss Malachite, and I can assure you it will not happen again. She will be punished for her actions. All that is left now is for her to apologize to Miss Rose."

The woman turned her attention back to Melanie, as if expecting her to take the lead.

With a roll of her eyes, Melanie looked past the angry lilac eyes of Yang, and at the face of the little huntress. "Look, Ruby. It was nothing personal. It's not your fault your sister is a bitch."

"Miss Malachite!"

Lilac turned to red, and Melanie saw how Yang's hands curled into fists. "You wanna say that again? See what happens."

She knew she was safe here. Melanie could talk all the shit she wanted to in Glynda's office. What was Yang going to do? Attack her? No, because she was a "good girl". She followed the rules. At least when someone with authority was watching.

"What, are you gonna trash another nightclub?" Melanie snarled.

The way the anger suddenly dissipated from Yang's eyes was amazing. The color drained from her face as she nervously glanced back to Glynda. Apparently the headmistress did not know about her little adventure from a few months prior.

Melanie was not about to rat her out either. Aside from the fact that it probably would not do anything, and that Yang would not receive any kind of punishment other than maybe a stern talking to, Melanie did not snitch. Snitches got stitches, after all. No, if she wanted payback, Melanie took matters into her own hands. Or in the case of the previous night, her own lips.

"Enough," the woman interjected. "I don't know what history the two of you have, and I don't care. What I do care about is getting this situation resolved and moving forward. Do you understand?"

Yang nodded wordlessly. Melanie merely shrugged dismissively. Ruby remained utterly silent, and made no movements period.

"But she _is_ getting punished, right?" Yang asked.

"She is. You need not concern yourself with that, Miss Xiao Long."

"Why is she even allowed in this school?" she asked bitterly. "All she does is cause problems. She's not even a huntress."

"Thankfully," Melanie said under her breath.

"I said enough!" Glynda's eyes moved back and forth between Melanie and Yang before settling on the latter. "Miss Xiao Long, she is here for a reason. And she _will_ be punished. You needn't concern yourself with any of that, however. What you _should_ focus on are your studies, your team, and your upcoming field mission."

A mission? Once more Melanie was happy she was not an actual student here. She wouldn't have to participate in some stupid little mission.

The older woman's eyes shifted over to Melanie. "Now, Miss Malachite. Apologize to Miss Rose and shake hands. And then try to learn from this incident before moving on with your life."

It would be a little difficult with a big blonde bitch wall between the two.

With an exasperated sigh, Melanie stood up and turned to face the two sisters. Ruby did the same. But to her surprise, Yang also stood.

The girl in black and red was actually using Yang as a shield as they stood mere feet away from one another. Ruby was still unable to make eye contact with Melanie. Her gaze was still downcast onto the floor. Her cheeks were still a slight shade of red. Yeah, this girl was completely and utterly embarrassed.

Melanie raised an arm and extended it out to Ruby. Slowly and hesitantly, Ruby brought her own up and stuck it out past Yang's torso. Seeing how she probably wouldn't make the first move, Melanie took the initiative and grabbed hold of the girl's tiny hand. "I'm sorry, Ruby," Melanie said as genuinely as possible for a person with no real remorse to say.

It lasted only one, maybe two seconds at most, but the deed was done. She had shaken Ruby's hand. And she could not help but notice how sweaty the other girl's palm had been. Was Ruby really that nervous about being in the same room as her? It made sense. She was just a shy little girl, after all.

"I-it's okay," Ruby said meekly in response.

"No! It's not okay, Ruby!" Yang shouted. "She took something from you that you can never get back."

Ugh. Yang made it sound like Ruby had just lost her virginity or something. A kiss was just a kiss. Even if it was her first kiss, who cares? Such things could be lost easily in a trivial game of truth or dare.

"You are dismissed, Miss Xiao Long." Her focus shifted to Ruby. "And you as well, Miss Rose. You two had best begin preparing for your classes. Miss Malachite and I have one thing left to discuss alone."

For a few long seconds Yang stood there glaring holes through her most hated enemy. Finally though, she turned around and headed for the door. "Come on, Ruby. Let's go."

The younger sister nodded wordlessly before following. She stole a quick glance back at Melanie, but still made no comment before moving to keep up with the blonde.

Despite hearing Glynda's words, Melanie took a step toward the door, but was stopped when the woman spoke. "Not so fast, Miss Malachite."

Letting out an exasperated sigh, Melanie stopped in her tracks before looking back to the woman. She had really hoped she would be able to walk out without discussing whatever that last thing was that Glynda wanted to talk about.

Looking back to the woman, a pair of hard and intimidating green eyes stared back at her. It was like looking into a mirror. If that mirror was a sexually frustrated middle-aged woman who enjoyed taking our her anger on younger and far more attractive girls than her.

Gods, she hated Glynda so much.

"Concerning your punishment," the woman began.

* * *

He was tall. He was strong. His reach was long. He was quick on his feet.

Yet, he had a long way to go.

Despite the ease of her victories, Miltia had still built up a sweat as she faced off against Jaune. They had been going at it all morning. The boy had stamina. There was no denying that. He also had an indomitable will that would never give up. Each time he got knocked off his feet, he got back up again. He wanted this. She knew the reasons all too well.

It had been a few days earlier that Jaune had come to her asking for a little bit of one on one training. Miltia was more than happy to oblige. She wanted him to be at his very best. Not just for his sake, but for hers as well. She cared deeply about her boyfriend, and she did not want to see him get hurt by the enemies they had made. He was hers. She would protect him. She would help train him so that he could protect himself. The stronger he was, the better.

Jaune had come to her asking to train him in unarmed combat. As a girl who fought almost exclusively with her hands and claws, she was well-versed in that art of combat. Occasionally she did use her legs as well, but it was Melanie who specialized in that area. She might ask her elder twin to help out in that department as well.

And yet, there was a darker twist to it all. This went beyond the desire to be stronger. It went beyond the wish to learn a new skill. Jaune had told Miltia why he wanted to learn hand to hand combat. Even if he hadn't told her the exact specifics of it, she understood all too well what his motives were.

And they broke her heart.

Jaune did not wish to use his sword anymore. She had been there the last time he had used the sharp edges of Crocea Mors in battle. She had seen the aftermath. A dead man with the blade impaled through his torso. A wide-eyed Jaune staring at the corpse he had slain. Blood everywhere. Blood on Jaune's hands.

At least with his fists Jaune wouldn't be delivering a potential deathblow with every strike he made. That was, unless, he used that new Aura trick of his. She still didn't know the details of his Semblance. She knew that he probably didn't know either. That was why he had been having those private lessons with Miss Goodwitch.

Feelings of jealousy began to fill her mind, but were quickly dashed when Miltia took a blow to the head.

So distracted had she been by her own thoughts that she had failed to react to Jaune's strike.

"Mil, are you okay?" the boy asked with concern.

With a shake of her head, Miltia collected her thoughts. "Yeah. I'm fine."

She squeezed her eyes shut briefly as the throbbing pain on her temple subsided. He may not have landed too many blows, but those which he did hurt. He was indeed strong. All he needed now was form.

With his arms lowered, Jaune approached her and reached out to gently touch the side of her head. "You didn't block. I didn't hurt you, did I?"

Miltia felt like melting under his soft touch. But now was not the time. They couldn't do anything in the middle of one of Beacon's sparring rooms. That level of brazenness was for Melanie. "I mean, you did punch me."

His teeth clenched and he sucked in a breath. "Yeah... sorry about that. I, I just thought-"

"Shh," she whispered, placing a finger against his lips. "We're sparring. Hitting is like, what you're supposed to do."

A hand came up to rub the back of his neck. "Yeah. I guess."

So sweet. So innocent. Gods, did she love this boy. Never in her wildest dreams would she have imagined being able to meet someone like him in her line of work. In her world. Someone who was so concerned with her well-being that he even second guessed himself when they were in the middle of training.

That was why she had to make sure he wouldn't get hurt. She had to make sure he wouldn't die. She would train him until he was black and blue. Until he was breathless and could no longer stand. She could not lose something so precious to her. Something, and someone, utterly irreplaceable. Her little slice of normalcy.

She stepped closer to him. Inside his guard, where she placed a hand on his chest. "When you're fighting, you should never let your guard down. Even if your opponent acts hurt, you should never let up."

He nodded. "Right."

Miltia poked her tongue out to wet her lips. "Jaune."

"Yeah?"

"You let your guard down."

Before he could even respond she shifted the hand she had placed upon him underneath his right arm. Using her own body as a fulcrum, Miltia executed a textbook arm toss, throwing the boy over her own body and down onto the mat. She quickly followed up by mounting him and raising her fist to deliver the hypothetical killing blow.

"You're dead now," she whispered.

"I... yeah. I guess I would be."

"I don't want you to die."

A small smile curled on his lips. "That makes two of us?"

The smirk was contagious, and Miltia could not hold her composure for long. She stood up, and offered a hand to help him up. He took it, but his strength and weight nearly pulled her off her feet as well, rather than helping him to his. The size difference was rarely as telling as it had been in that moment.

"Never let up," she told him. "Never back down. Never give your opponent a chance to recover. Fight until they're no longer a threat."

"Right."

Bringing up her fists once more, Miltia prepared herself for another round. "Come on. Let's keep going."

Jaune mimicked her pose, and shifted his feet into a fighting stance. His skills as a dancer paid off in situations like these. He was already agile. His footwork was impeccable. He moved on the balls of his feet with surprising grace. All he needed was proper form. All he needed was the killer instinct of a fighter.

No a literal killer instinct of course. Training in this manner was hoping to accomplish the exact opposite. A way to fight without putting more lives at risk.

The two teens approached one another again, both ready to strike. Miltia normally let him take the first shot to see what he was capable of when acting on his own initiative. There was little strategy behind his strikes, however. Feints and fake outs were not yet a part of his repertoire. He just attacked, hoping to land a hard, crushing blow to knock his opponent out of the fight. That may have worked on lowly grunts like White Fang terrorists, but it would not work on anyone with actual training and combat sense.

And so it was that Jaune overextended with his strike. Miltia grabbed his arm, and despite their size difference, was able to twist it and him around so that she pinned the appendage behind his back. She stood close behind him, wrenching his arm behind him while her free arm went around to grip around his abdomen.

"And now I've got you again," she grunted as he tried to break free from her hold. A slight amount of pressure on his captured arm caused him to wince in pain. She did quite enjoy the feeling of being able to dominate her lover in such a manner.

Oh no. Was she becoming like Melanie now?

"Hey, Mil?"

"Hmm?"

She could not see his face, but she could hear the smugness in his tone when he spoke. "Now you let your guard down."

Miltia blinked in confusion. "What are you-"

Before she could finish her sentence she felt Jaune's own free hand grab her own as a wave of comfort and warmth fill her body. A feeling of indescribable pleasure coursed through her veins as she saw Jaune's body begin to glow a soft white. Her own followed suit.

Her breath hitched. Her grip loosened. Her legs became jelly. It was all Jaune needed.

Twisting and grabbing hold of her shoulder, Jaune swept a leg from underneath her and sent Miltia falling back hard onto the mat. He followed down with her, and soon her large hands were around her forearms, pinning her down to the floor. She felt his weight atop her as the feeling of his Aura inside her began to subside. Left in its wake was a cold and yearning feeling. A desire to feel his soul touching hers once more.

Miltia was breathless as her eyes opened up to witness the smirking blonde looking down at her. His face was mere inches away from hers. She struggled to move her arms, but to no avail. His superior strength and positioning meant that she was now at his mercy.

"Didn't you just tell me not to let up?" he asked. A irritatingly cute smile was plastered on his lips as he did so. "So what was that?"

That...

She closed her eyes and sighed. That had been a stupid mistake on her part. Arrogance. Hypocrisy. Reveling in the feeling of having her boyfriend in her arms. He was absolutely right, however. Rather than finishing him off, she had sought to toy with him.

Still, the manner in which he had taken advantage of her mistake was a cruel one.

"That was a dirty trick," she whispered.

To someone who had not experienced Jaune's Semblance firsthand, there was simply no way of describing it. How does one describe the feeling someone's soul touching their own? He knew she loved the feeling.

If he could do that at will like that... sparring with him would never be the same again.

Would it have that kind of effect on every opponent? Or only herself because they were lovers?

Despite the kind of advantage it might give to him in combat, she sincerely hoped that it was the latter. No one deserved to feel Jaune like that except her.

He brought his face down closer to hers. "It worked, didn't it?"

Miltia's tongue ran across her lips in anticipation. "You don't fight fair."

"You and Melanie told me not to."

The warm and soft feel of his lips against hers pushed all feelings of frustration from her mind. With her arms still pinned against the mat, all she could do was accept the kiss. She was perfectly happy with that arrangement.

After a few seconds he pulled back, and she stared lovingly into those soft blue eyes of his. "Whatever," she breathed huskily.

"So you wanna go again?"

There was a part of Miltia that sincerely hoped he meant another kiss. "You mean sparring, right?"

"I don't know. We could always take a little break."

"Breaks are good."

His arms released her own, and they quickly found themselves wrapped around the back of Jaune's neck to pull him down closer. All she wanted right now was to taste her boyfriend again. All work and no play made Miltia a high-strung girl. She wanted a release.

She was about to bring her lips up against his own once more, before the ultimate clam-jammer made her unwanted entrance. Not that she had been planning on having sex in the middle of the training room or anything...

"Oh my gods, get a room!"

Jaune was quick to remove himself from his position above her, much to the younger twin's chagrin. He offered her a hand this time, and within seconds the two red-handed teens were back on their feet.

"Or, let me clarify," Melanie continued. "Get a room that's not the one I have to sleep in. It fucking smells like sex in there."

Miltia rolled her eyes. "You really know how to ruin a moment."

"And you two really know how to make me gag."

"Do you need something, Melanie?"

"Yes, _Miltia_ , I do," she snapped back. "I need to fucking complain to someone and you're the only person I've got."

"Why not go complain to Ruby? You seemed pretty close with her last night..."

A glance over to Jaune revealed a slight frown on his face. Maybe that hadn't been the best joke. Miltia had to remember that he and Ruby were friends. Just because she, and especially not Melanie were not Ruby's friends didn't mean that he couldn't be either.

"Oh shut up," Melanie bit back. Her arms folded across her chest in annoyance as she spoke. "She's the reason I'm pissed off in the first place. I had to talk to her and her dumb bitch sister this morning."

"And you apologized?" Jaune asked.

The older twin shot a glare back at him. " _Yes_ , little huntsman. I apologized. Are you fucking happy now?"

There was definite tension between her boyfriend and sister. After the way he had stood up to her at the dance, it was obvious that he was willing to go out of his comfort zone in order to defend Ruby. In a way she couldn't blame him for his loyalty to his friend. But at the same time, she wanted him to take their side at all times. They were his friends first, after all. It felt selfish, but at the same time it felt justified.

"Yeah," he replied. Again, he was surprisingly confident when talking to the rather aggressive girl. "I am."

"Well good for you."

Miltia wanted to defuse the situation. To take the focus off of Jaune. "Huh. That explains why you're up so early. It's not even noon yet."

Her sister's attention shifted back to her. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever." An annoyed huff of air blew a few errant strands of hair away from her eyes. "You'll never believe what Miss Goodbitch did."

Miltia smirked at the obvious nickname for Beacon's combat instructor. She wondered just how many students threw that name around behind the woman's back. She wondered too if the woman was aware of just how easily her name could be turned into an insult. Especially with her less than pleasant demeanor.

"What? You get detention or something?"

Melanie waved off the question with a flick of her wrist. "Pffft. Duh. But as if I'm gonna actually go."

She couldn't blame her sister for not wanting to go. However, not obeying the rules ran the risk of them getting kicked out of Beacon. "Mel, if we get kicked out of Beacon we won't have anywhere else to go."

"Uh, yeah we will? Don't act like we don't have lien of our own for a place to crash for a while."

She was right. The twins always made sure to take a small finder's fee any time they settled a score with Junior's enemies. Sometimes it was with those who actually owed him money. Sometimes it was just a little extra perk taken directly from their victim's wallets. Either way, they had managed to build up a small fortune in their own personal accounts. They existed for not only their own spending habits, but for emergencies just such as this one. Times where they might be at risk of losing everything again.

"Well, fine," Miltia agreed. "But we still shouldn't like, _want_ to have to spend our own lien."

"Here's the thing," her sister smirked. "I don't think she's gonna."

Miltia's brow furrowed. "Huh?"

"She's not gonna kick me out. Like, she could have. She was totally pissed off because of what I did to little miss Ruby-fucking-Rose. But she didn't do shit. She just made me apologize. I don't know why, but I don't think she wants to kick us out."

That was it? Miltia had to admit, that seemed like a rather tame punishment. That and the detention, at least. Detention that Melanie wasn't likely to attend anyway.

"But you know what she did fucking do?" Melanie continued. There was an edge to her voice now. Humor had been replaced by anger. "She confiscated all my fucking alcohol! And you know what else? She said she's gonna make sure none of the bullhead pilots give me a ride down to Vale so I can't get more! This is like a literal fucking prison now!"

That would certainly explain the girl's anger toward the professor. Alcohol was more than just a pleasure for Melanie. It was also a crutch. A way to help the girl deal with the traumas of her past.

Melanie now existed in a place where she was surrounded by those who she could not dominate and control. A place where she could not get drunk. A place where she was constricted and could not roam freely. Like she had said, a prison.

It must have felt suffocating for the girl.

Miltia frowned. She wondered if that bullhead ban applied to her and Jaune as well. "I'm sure we could still get down to Vale if we wanted..."

"We'd better!"

She turned to Jaune, who so far had been quiet for most of this conversation. "Got any plans for today? We should go down to Vale. Just to... I dunno. Get out of this place for a while."

The boy shrugged. "I mean, there are still classes. But considering we don't actually have to learn anything, I don't see why we can't skip."

Miltia was honestly a little bit surprised. This had been his dream, after all. She would have thought he would soak in all the experiences he could. Learn everything he could. Pretend he was a real huntsman.

"So it's settled," Melanie said. "We sneak down to Vale. We get me some drinks. And we have a little fun. Blow off a little steam. Because I know I can't have any fun as long as I'm stuck in this place."

In other words, she can't go around beating the crap out of Beacon students. Honestly, maybe she should try sparring. Then again, she would be sparring against those who were at the minimum equally as skilled as she was. And Melanie did not like fighting fair.

"And what do you plan on doing?" he asked.

"I dunno. Bar. Club. Shopping. _Something_. Anything's better than being trapped in this stupid school."

Miltia found it hard to disagree. As much as she enjoyed being here with Jaune, it was so... unusual to say the least. She didn't feel she was truly in control of her own life. She was living in someone else's dorm. Being allowed to stay only by their generosity. Things could be turned on their head at a moment's notice. It wasn't a good feeling to have in the back of her mind.

She could only imagine how Melanie felt. Her situation was much worse.

"Sounds good," Jaune said with a shrug. "But before we do anything, there's something I need to take care of."

Miltia looked up at him. "Everything okay?"

He gave her a reassuring smile. "Yeah. It's just, I want to talk to Ruby about something."

"Ugh. Please don't tell me you're gonna make a big deal out of this too," Melanie said.

"Well first of all, it is a big deal to me," he replied. "And secondly, that's not the main thing I want to talk to her about. There's something that's been on my mind lately, and I didn't want to bring it up at the dance or anything."

"Okay. But nothing's wrong?"

Jaune took her hand this time and gave it a soft squeeze. A smile slipped on her face as a result. "Nah. Everything's okay. Just something I wanted to talk to her about."

She knew she shouldn't get jealous of Jaune wanting to talk with Ruby. Presumably alone. He was as loyal and trustworthy as a guy could get. Still, she could not help but feel incredibly selfish by wanting her and Melanie to be the only girls in his life. And Melanie was only involved because they were sisters. But even then, contrary to popular belief, twins did not share everything.

Miltia didn't let go of his hand, and gave it a soft squeeze of her own. "Okay then."

Jaune's head moved to sniff his body. "But I suppose I should probably grab a shower before all of this. I kinda stink right now."

 _I think you smell hot and manly..._ was what she wanted to say. But with Melanie present, she stuck to merely thinking it.

While she was at it, she should probably keep her other suggestion to herself as well. Surprises were a good thing, after all.

* * *

"So, you wanted to talk to me about something, Jaune?"

That he did. The problem was that he really had no idea how to go about exploring the topic.

It wasn't exactly an easy thing to bring up. He didn't want to feel like he was lecturing the girl. Or like he knew better than her, because at the end of the day he didn't. He didn't know anything. That was what had gotten him into this mess to begin with. His ignorance and selfishness were the roots to all of his current problems.

Still, if he could share a little bit of his knowledge and wisdom with Ruby, he should take the opportunity to do so. If anyone could be spared from suffering the same as he had, then it would be worth it. What Jaune had witnessed a few days ago while watching TV had been alarming because he had been in that situation before too. Maybe not that exact situation, but one close to it.

Then again Ruby had been there with him. Only she had not learned her lesson. She had not had to face the same consequences he had.

But there was something else he wanted to get out of the way first.

"First, I just wanna apologize about what happened at the dance last night," he began.

It looked as though Ruby's face was about to become as red as her cloak. "Oh, um, right..."

"What she did wasn't right. She had no excuse to go after you. You didn't do anything to her."

"Yeah... but that's not your fault, Jaune."

In a way it was. "She's only here because I am. I dunno. I guess I just feel responsible for her."

Ruby shrugged lightly. "She only did that to mess with me, right? Or did she say anything else today?"

"Pretty much," he confirmed. "Just messing with you to get to Yang. I'm sorry," he repeated. "Are you okay?"

Her head bobbed up and down quickly. "Yeah. We talked about it this morning already. It's done. I think." Her eyes shifted away for a moment before returning to meet his gaze. "You said first. Was there something else you wanted to talk about?"

The conversation was obviously a little bit uncomfortable for the girl. She wanted to move away from it and to the other topic of discussion. Well, if she didn't need to discuss the dance issue anymore, Jaune felt no reason to harp on it.

"It's, uh... it's about what happened a few days ago on the highway."

Silver eyes lit up at the mention of the incident. It was not the reaction he had been expecting. "I know! Wasn't that so cool? I never thought I'd get to fight against a real life giant robot before! It was like something out of a comic book!"

Cool was not exactly the word Jaune would use to describe it. Dangerous. Reckless. Perhaps even a few other choice words. Harsh ones. Ones he did not want to say to his good friend.

"I didn't want to bring this up before, because of the dance. Didn't wanna ruin the mood and all, you know?"

Ruby nodded. "Yeah. But why would you ruin anything?"

Because he was about to lay some truth down for the girl. "Ruby, what you guys did there... it was dangerous."

Those bright eyes of hers squinted in confusion. "Huh? What do you mean? We all got out of there just fine."

Oh yes. They did. They were trained huntresses with Aura. But those other people...

"What about the others?" Jaune's eyes darted off to the side for a moment, unable to continue looking at Ruby while he spoke. "All the people there just driving. Did they all make it out of there just fine?"

All traces of excitement vanished from Ruby's face, and were replaced by a soft frown. "I, uh... I think so? I mean I don't remember any of them exploding or anything..."

And why would she? She was busy battling against a giant Atlesian Paladin. She was busy ensuring her teammates stayed alive. The lives of the innocent civilians around her, and the massive amount of damage that was being caused probably did not register to her in the heat of the moment.

"But you don't know," he clarified.

She gave a soft shrug. "Ozpin didn't say anything about it. If people had died, he would have told us, right? We would have gotten in trouble, right?"

Jaune genuinely did not know. He did not know the man to begin with. Being the headmaster of Beacon Academy, did he maybe have the power to pull strings in order to protect his students? Was he able to cover up such incidents with his influence? Or was Jaune really just being a pessimist, and maybe nothing bad had happened to those civilians at all?

"I don't know," he answered honestly. "But... I just gotta say. And I'm sorry if it sounds harsh. But what you guys did out there was dangerous. A lot of people could have died. And I..." he stopped, and for a moment his words caught in his throat. "I know how it feels to get someone killed."

Ruby's eyes lit up with understanding. He had never actually come out and said it to her, so this was the first absolute confirmation of it. Of course she had always suspected. She had always known. But perhaps the words being spoken aloud had more impact than mere suspicion.

"The docks," she said knowingly.

Jaune nodded. "Yeah."

A hand came up to his shoulder. It was warm and comforting as she gave him a tiny squeeze. "He was a terrorist," he said softly. "It was him or you. We all would have done the same."

He had heard it all before from Miltia. Still, it didn't make the burden any easier to bear. He knew that he had gone there by choice. He knew that he had been filled with anger and hatred toward the White Fang. He knew that no one had to die there tonight. He could have just stayed at Junior's club. That way they would not have been bombed in retaliation. They would not be stuck here at Beacon right now. If only he had just stayed home.

"Not the point," he said with a shake of his head. He was getting off topic. "The point is, I chose to go there. I went out looking for trouble, and that's what happened. And I have to deal with the consequences. I don't want that for you, Ruby. I don't want you to go out looking for trouble like you did on the highway. Because if people got killed because of your choices..."

He let the words linger at the end. They spoke for themselves.

"Yeah," she agreed. Her own sullen voice and expression told him that she understood those words.

"I just... I want what's best for you," he said, attempting to put a smile on his face. "Because we're friends. I've been there and done that. And I don't want you to have to go through what I am."

Ruby nodded, and a small smile of her own curled on her lips. "Yeah. I know."

"Just... promise me you'll be more careful, okay?"

She nodded again. "Right. But... we did get important information out of it."

"What kind of information?"

"Well, Blake heard from Roman Torchwick himself that there's a White Fang operation going on somewhere in the south east portion of Vale. So with the field trip that's coming up, we're gonna try and get a mission that's in the area."

Jaune blinked. She was still going to pursue this? Even after their nice little heart to heart talk? "Ruby, you can't be serious."

"Huh? Why not?"

"Because..." He was at a loss for words. "What about the whole 'vigilantism is bad' thing and innocent people getting hurt thing we just talked about? Isn't this the kind of thing you should be calling the police about?"

"Jaune. We're huntresses." Her demeanor suddenly changed as she spoke the words. The earlier meekness was gone now, and was instead replaced with confidence. With purpose. "And this is what huntresses do. We fight the battles that are too big for the police. And trust me, Roman Torchwick and the White Fang are too much for the police. It can only be us."

He wanted to argue. He really did. But on some level he knew she was correct. She was a huntress. Even if she was only a first year student. She had more power and skill than an entire team of police officers. The only problem was, she lacked the training and discipline of one when it came to handling public and civilian matters.

Jaune's mind flashed back to things both Miltia and Melanie had said in the previous months. Their disdain for huntsmen. How they were the dogs of the state. How they did not have to answer to any authority. How they ultimately had no responsibility and accountability.

And then he fast forwarded to only a few nights ago. A massive multi-car pileup on the highway. Countless people undoubtedly hurt. Or worse. And yet here Ruby was, one of the perpetrators. Here without any kind of repercussions. Not even knowing if her actions had gotten anybody killed that night.

Were they right? Were huntsmen and huntresses truly a danger to society as much as they were a help?

"There's nothing I can say to stop you then," he said knowingly.

Ruby shook her head. "Nope. This is the life I signed up for, Jaune. This is what I've chosen."

It could have been his life as well. It made Jaune wonder if he could have even continued down the path once he learned the dark truths of it. Or maybe he wouldn't even have cared, so long as he didn't see the corpses pile up. Would Ruby change her tune if there was a morgue full of bodies as a result of her actions? He couldn't say.

Jaune sighed, and nodded softly as he closed his eyes. "Just tell me you'll be careful then," he said as he looked back into her eyes. "Don't let what happened on the highway happen wherever you're going."

"I'll be careful," she told him reassuringly. " _We'll_ be careful."

"Right. I just don't want you to have to deal with the kind of stuff I-"

He was cut off when Ruby enveloped him into a hug. She was shorter than Miltia, but he could still feel the power and emotion behind her embrace. It took a few seconds, but eventually Jaune wrapped his arms around her tiny body as well.

"I know," she said as he head leaned against his chest. "Thank you for being worried about me. And thank you for telling me. I promise, we'll be careful. We won't let anyone innocent get hurt."

What more could be said? She was his friend. He would trust in her word. He would trust her.

All he could do now was hope that she and everyone else made it back in one piece.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** I know it's been a little long since this updated. But I've actually written a lot since then. Three one shots, the start of a brand new story, and another chapter into the Bleiss Anthology. So if you want, you can check all those things out.

I think I needed a little breather from this to help recharge my batteries. But now that I'm back, I'm excited to get into this phase of the story, because we're getting to some major events happening. You can probably guess what one of them is from what happened in this chapter.

As always I want to thank everyone for reading. You all continue to inspire me to keep going and to try to keep getting better. So thank you all so much for your support.

Oh and since this was apparently an issue from the last chapter, let me just clarify it. Weiss was not upset about someone else kissing Ruby rather than her kissing Ruby. She was upset about the fact that Ruby received her first kiss before Weiss got her own first kiss. Apparently my choice of wording was confusing to some, so I went back and altered it.

Anyway, thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed the chapter.


	26. Chapter 26

The sounds of combat echoed in the near-empty room Miltia sat in. Up here in the seats, she had a perfect view of the fight taking place below. Her sister was taking on one of the first year huntsmen named Cardin Winchester. So far it was going as she would have expected.

Miltia sat alone, as Jaune was busy with another matter that did not concern herself. Away over in another section of the seats sat three other boys, Cardin's teammates. Truth be told, she was glad that they were nowhere near her. She would not be tempted to strike them for their disrespectful commentary. For their locker room speech. For them it was a spectacle that was to be enjoyed. There were stakes on the match, after all. Every one of them wanted to see their leader come out on top.

"Haha, go get her, Cardin!" one of the boys shouted down to the arena floor.

"She's hot," another said. "And she's seriously going to go out with him?"

As if.

"What'd Cardin do to bag a hottie like her?"

It had taken certain conditions to prod the boy into this fight. Melanie had promised that if Cardin won, she would go out with him. It was a vague statement, and she let the boy use his own imagination as to where it might lead. For a guy at the height of puberty, even the smallest sliver of hope was a chance worth taking.

Melanie on the other hand only had a very simple condition for the fight. One which seemed small and trivial in comparison to Cardin's potential prize. If she won, Cardin could tell no one that the fight took place. To him it must have seemed like a win-win scenario.

He had no idea who he was fucking with.

All in all, it was necessary in Miltia's eyes. Melanie had become increasingly temperamental since they had arrived here at Beacon Academy. The atmosphere was suffocating to a free spirit such as her sister. Things like rules and structure did not sit well with the elder Malachite. She was surrounded by those she hated. She was surrounded by those she could not control. Her very life was no longer in her control. As a result she had to create her own fun. She had to get her own comfort that did not involve the consumption of alcohol. The result of all this manifested in the way Melanie had kissed Ruby as an act of spite. Of vengeance. Of hate.

Her sister needed some sort of outlet for all of her raging emotions. Miltia felt them in the back of her mind, but there was also nothing she could do about it. Melanie's anger and fear made her lash out at just about everyone who wasn't her sister or Jaune. The best solution that Miltia could come up with was a spar. She could not participate in the matches in Glynda's class, for whatever reason. Maybe something about the legality of a registered huntsman academy student fighting against a civilian. Or maybe Miss Goodwitch did not want to give two criminals any sort of professional training that they could take back to the streets with them. Whatever the reason was, they were officially not allowed to participate in such classes. However, no one ever said that they couldn't spar in their free time.

They had seen Cardin fight before by observing Glynda's sparring class. Miltia knew that he would be a good opponent for her sister. Not only did he seem less skilled than the girls of Team RWBY, but he fought with a familiar style. The heavy mace which Cardin wielded was not unlike the massive club that Junior fought with. Cardin was a large boy, even taller and broader than Jaune. He relied on strength more than agility. All the pieces were in place to make him the perfect adversary for Melanie. And, unfortunately for him, the perfect punching bag for her to unleash her emotions upon.

Miltia jumped when she heard a voice from beside her. "Can I sit here?"

Looking over to her side, she saw the familiar form of Ruby standing next to her. There was apprehension in those bright silver eyes of hers. Her hands were behind her back, most likely clasped together uneasily.

Miltia had no ill-will toward the girl, and simply shrugged. "Whatever."

Ruby nodded and took her seat, making sure to keep an empty spot between them. She stared down to the floor as well, taking in the fight below them. "Why's your sister fighting Cardin?"

Her eyes didn't leave the graceful form of her sister as she danced around the floor, avoiding another one of Cardin's strikes. "Stress relief."

It was probably the only form of stress relief that her sister had left to her. Fighting, fucking, and drinking were the top three ways for Melanie to blow off steam. Here at Beacon she was deprived of kicking gangster ass. Her alcohol had been confiscated by Miss Goodwitch, and the fact that they basically had to be smuggled down to Vale in order to drink made such trips difficult and rare. As for the last one... there wasn't a person here that Melanie would want to fool around with.

"Oh," Ruby replied simply. Uneasily. A brief period of silence settled over them before she spoke again. "She's pretty good."

There was no doubt that Melanie was a skilled fighter. She was the more talented of the pair, and was a far more eager and aggressive combatant. She had given Yang a run for her money before the blonde showed just how big the gap between them truly was. There was an undeniable difference between amateur fighters like herself and Melanie, and those on the professional track like Yang and Ruby.

However, those rules did not always apply.

Cardin may have been a member of the latter group, but he was no Yang Xiao Long. He would have been able to manhandle any of Junior's goons, but against another skilled opponent his own talents were shown to be a bit lacking.

He may have been strong, but he was cumbersome. His mace was powerful, and he fought like Junior, but the boy only had a fraction of the man's skill. Melanie on the other hand relied on her speed and agility more than raw hitting power. That was why she had been able to score several hits on Yang, but not enough to keep her down. Yang had both power and speed. More than enough to defeat both of them.

"Yeah," Miltia agreed.

"I hope she wins." The sentiment was surprising, considering the relationship that Ruby shared with the girl in white.

"Really?"

"Yup," Ruby confirmed. "Cardin's a jerk."

Miltia didn't know the boy, and so couldn't comment. She of course hoped that her sister would win too. But really she did not need to hope. She knew that Melanie would be victorious here. The girl had been trained by Junior. She knew how to counter that sort of fighting style. It was only a matter of time.

"She's fucking with him."

"What?" Ruby gasped.

Miltia wondered if she should not swear around the girl. Ruby was after all such an innocent little flower, as her sister liked to put it. "Messing with him," she amended.

"Oh. For a second I thought you meant..."

It took Miltia a moment to connect the dots. Ruby had taken the statement literally. Like, sexually literally.

Again, as if.

Cardin was absolutely not Melanie's type. He was the strong and boastful type. Confident. Arrogant. The utter antithesis of what Melanie looked for in a partner. Those she chose had to submit to her. She made it clear that she was the dominant one in a relationship.

"Nah," Miltia said, voicing her thoughts in response to the girl. "Cardin's totally not her type."

"Oh. What is her type?"

Miltia knew her sister's type, but she soon found herself struggling to put it into words in a way that Ruby would understand. In a way that wouldn't make her feel dirty. Ruby was still a child, after all. Fifteen years old to their eighteen. It may have only been three years, but it seemed like such a huge thing to the raven-haired girl.

"I guess, like, submissive?" Miltia responded. It was a pretty vague answer, but she was having a hard time finding a way to explain it to Ruby. "Innocent. Someone she can control. I dunno if that makes sense."

She glanced over to see that Ruby was not attempting to make eye contact with her either for their conversation. Rather, her eyes were still locked on the battle raging below them.

A battle that Melanie was slowly but surely winning.

She danced around the boy, using every bit of her speed and agility to her advantage. Her lithe body dodged and wove between mace strikes. With every miss Cardin left himself open to attack, and Melanie took the opportunity to deliver a stiff kick every time. Each may have not been enough to fell the boy with a single blow, but they were slowly taking their toll on him. It was akin to a cat toying with its prey. It was death by a thousand cuts. One look at the Aura meters above the arena told the story. Cardin's was nearly half gone, while Melanie's had barely been touched.

That wasn't the only thing of Melanie that would not be touched by Cardin. The boy just didn't know that he was out of luck yet.

"Oh," Ruby repeated. This time Miltia saw how the girl's hands began to fidget, her fingers playing with each other on her lap. "That's interesting."

She was nervous. It was obvious as to why. Miltia wondered how she would have reacted to getting drunk and kissed by someone like her sister as an introduction to that sort of affection.

"I know it probably won't mean much, but I'm sorry for what she did," Miltia told the girl next to her. "I mean, don't get me wrong, we totally hate your sister and all. But you didn't deserve what she did to you."

Ruby's head bobbed quickly. "It's okay," she said. "Melanie already apologized the other day."

She knew that her sister had. However, Miltia had always been the responsible one of the pair. Both out of necessity and choice. She almost felt as if she played the dual role of both sister and mother to her elder twin. Therefore she felt obligated to apologize for what her wayward "child" of a sister had done.

Still, she was surprised how Ruby had said it was okay. Miltia would have been pissed off had she been in her shoes. Losing her first kiss while drunk, and to a person who used you out of spite? Ruby was either the most forgiving person she had ever met, or the most innocent. Or maybe both.

"So what other kind of stuff does she like?"

Miltia glanced over at the girl. What an odd and random question. "What do you mean?"

Ruby shrugged. "I don't know. I guess I just wanna get to know her better." She blinked a few times before continuing. "Know you both better. Since we're all Jaune's friends. I mean you're more than that. You're is girlfriend. And only you. Melanie isn't. She made that very clear. Does that mean Melanie's not seeing anyone right now?"

She wasn't, but she also wasn't sure why that was at all relevant to the conversation. "Yeah," she confirmed. "There's no one at Beacon I can see my sister liking like that."

Ruby glanced away, her thumbs playing with each other once more. "Oh."

Another look at Ruby showed that the girl was clearly uncomfortable, even if she had been the one to steer the conversation in this direction. She was absolutely a novice when it came to this sort of thing. Miltia was not her sister, and she was not cruel. She decided not to harp on the topic any longer, and instead move on to something a bit more familiar to the other girl.

"So I'm just wondering. Why are you here?" Miltia didn't mean it in a bad way, and decided to clarify her question. "I mean, not that you can't be here or whatever. But shouldn't you be getting ready for your huntress thingy or something?"

Miltia had heard that the teams of Beacon Academy would soon be taking on missions. Some of them would even be outside of the kingdom. Field work was a dangerous and necessary part of being a huntress, and for the most part the students she had seen seemed pretty excited about the whole thing.

"I think we're pretty ready," Ruby replied. "I just hope we get a cool huntsman to shadow."

A cool huntsman. It was an oxymoron to Miltia. So long as you were a dog of the kingdom, you couldn't be cool. "Right," she agreed nonetheless.

"But I guess I'm here because I like fights," Ruby continued. "Fights, weapons, all that cool stuff. Like your sister's heel blades? They look so cool!"

Ruby's confidence seemed to spike when she was talking about Melanie's weapons. It was in stark contrast to how she was speaking only moments before. She truly was a strange girl.

"And... there was one other thing I was wondering about."

Miltia glanced over again to the girl. "Hmm?"

"I dunno. I guess I just wanted to know how Jaune's doing."

Miltia's guard immediately went up. Her eyes turned suspicious as she gazed upon the younger girl. "Why?"

"He told me," Ruby explained. "About the docks. We had a talk the other day about... stuff. It seemed like he was taking everything pretty rough. Even after all this time."

Death was never easy to deal with. Miltia had never had to deal with being the one to deliver the killing blow, but she had dealt with death all the same. The loss of her parents still stung after all these years. And so she could not imagine how it would feel to actually be the one responsible for the death of another.

The fact that Jaune trusted Ruby enough to tell her about these things put her at ease, even if only a little bit. Both Miltia and Melanie had their suspicions about Ruby. They flat out distrusted actual professional huntsmen. However, if Jaune felt that Ruby was his true friend, and that he could confide in her, then maybe Miltia should give the girl the benefit of the doubt as well.

With a sigh, Miltia looked away from the girl and back to her sister. "I dunno," she admitted. "I guess he's doing as well as anyone could." She glanced back, emerald eyes narrowing. "You're not wearing a wire, are you?"

Ruby's eyes widened, and she quickly shook both her head and her hands before her. "No no! Of course not! I'm just..." She frowned, breaking eye contact as she looked off to the side. "I'm just worried about him. He's my friend. I don't want my friend to hurt."

Those last words spoke to Miltia on a level which battered down the walls of pre-conceived notions she may have had toward Ruby. It really was that simple. Ruby was Jaune's friend, and she didn't want her friend to suffer. Just as Miltia did not want to see her boyfriend suffer. Miltia used every method of love and affection at her disposal to show how much she cared for him. To show how much he mattered to her. To show that he was worthy of love and happiness. Ruby may not have had those tools available to her, but she still wanted to help all the same.

"Yeah," Miltia agreed. "We're trying. It'll take time I guess. He has to forgive himself."

Ruby nodded. "Where is he now? There's no any classes or anything, so I thought he'd be with you."

She wished that he was. However, he had something else to take care of alone. Truthfully Miltia did not like how Jaune was having all these kinds of private meetings with those in charge of Beacon Academy.

"He has some meeting with Headmaster Ozpin. I dunno what it's about."

Ruby hummed thoughtfully. "Ozpin's a good guy," she said. "I'm sure everything's okay. He even let me into Beacon two years early."

This time it was Miltia's turn to hum. If the man in charge of this huntsman academy had agreed to let Ruby in two years early, then he clearly was not a stickler for the rules. That in itself made the girl uneasy. Weren't huntsmen supposed to follow the rules? Weren't they supposed to be loyal little attack dogs? Why would Ozpin bend the rules for this little girl? Admittedly she was a powerful little girl, but she was still just a _little girl_ all the same.

She wondered what such a man might want with Jaune. Her words went back to something that Melanie had said the other day about Glynda not wanting to kick them out. Did they want to keep the three teens here for more reasons than just protecting them? For more reasons than just keeping them out of trouble?

She never got to think further on the subject before a commotion from down below stole her attention.

Cries of pain echoed throughout the room as Miltia saw her sister begin to viciously kick a downed Cardin Winchester. A look to the Aura meter showed that the boy had entered the red zone, and that the match should be over. Yet the girl did not relent. If anything she began to ramp up the intensity of her assault.

Blow after blow connected with the boy as he did his best to shield his face and head with his arms, letting his armored torso take the majority of the hits. Still, this match was over. It had to stop. Miltia was already standing when she saw Cardin's three teammates begin to descend down to the floor as well. The girl knew she had to beat them there. She had to be the one to defuse the situation, or else things could get a lot uglier.

"Melanie!" she screamed as she rushed over to the girl. Her sister did not let up in her attacks until the moment Miltia placed a hand on her shoulder and spun her around.

A look at the girl's face showed utter rage and contempt. Even despite the fact that neither of the girls knew Cardin before this day, and especially did not know him on a personal level, Miltia knew why her sister was acting this way. It wasn't just an outlet for her pent up anger and aggression. It wasn't just the fact that she hated this place and the people here. Cardin Winchester, and every other student here, represented what Melanie and Miltia hated. He was a stupid huntsman.

Melanie was quick to respond to her sister's cry after being interrupted from her assault. "What!" she shouted angrily.

Not one to be intimidated by the girl, Miltia stood her ground. "It's over," she said in a calmer voice. She pointed up to the Aura meter to show as much. "The match is over."

Her sister followed the extended finger to look up at the meter. The display featuring the names and Aura levels of the combatants showed that Cardin's Aura was indeed well into the red zone, and was dangerously close to being broken. Had this been any sort of official match in one of Miss Goodwitch's classes, it would have already been over.

Melanie tore her sister's hand from her shoulder, scoffing with disgust. "Whatever."

Truth be told, Miltia was getting sick of the girl's attitude. This was becoming a problem. Going after Ruby the way she had. Going too far in the match with Cardin. Being disrespectful toward anyone and everyone she ran across. Just her demeanor and attitude in general. It was all building up, and soon enough it might explode in a way that would have lasting consequences. For her or someone else.

One of those consequences was threatening to rear its ugly head right now, as one of Cardin's teammates stepped forward. "What's your problem?" he asked the girl who had assaulted his leader.

The other two boys were still kneeling down and attending to Cardin. But this disgusting green-mohawked one was standing up to Melanie, both figuratively and literally. Things could get ugly in an instant if and when Melanie escalated the situation.

Miltia decided to cut that opportunity off before it even began. "She's sorry," she said as she stepped between the boy and Melanie. "She went too far."

"Bitch, I'm not-"

The younger twin spun around and leveled a finger at her sister, cutting her off mid-sentence. " _You're sorry_ ," she growled. "Not another fucking word."

Miltia was used to having to act as her sister's guardian. As the mother that they lost so long ago. This was just another incident where she had to defuse a tense situation that Melanie had created. However, she would always do so without hesitation. She would do anything for her sister.

Thankfully Melanie seemed to get the message, and she folded her arms across her chest in a huff. "Whatever," she breathed.

"That's it? She's sorry?" the boy continued. "Is that supposed to make everything okay?"

No. But it was the best they had to offer.

"What do you want? A fucking blowjob or something?" Melanie spat. "Will that make everything better?"

"Melanie!"

"What? What the fuck do they expect?"

The suggestion of such "compensation" seemed to take the boy aback, and his anger evaporated. Clearly he wasn't used to exchanging words with someone like Melanie Malachite.

Cardin was by now back on his feet, with his other two teammates on either side of him. He was looking in pretty rough shape, but it wasn't something that wouldn't heal in a few hours.

Four boys were glaring daggers into the raven-haired girl who had just won the spar. If she felt at all threatened by them she didn't show it.

"Just remember," she said, pointing a finger at Cardin. "Not a word about this." Those were indeed the conditions of the match. If Melanie won, then Cardin could tell no one. Miltia wondered if he would indeed live up to his word. A small smirk curled on Melanie's lips before she continued. "Just say you fell down some stairs or something."

The girl spun and sauntered off before another word could be uttered. She must have been feeling on top of the world right now. After just physically and verbally dominating a group of aspiring huntsmen, she must have felt like she was home again.

Miltia looked at the group gathered around her. She didn't feel like saying anything more to the boys. Ruby, on the other hand, she felt as though she should address before she left.

"Um... later..." she said uneasily.

Ruby nodded. "Yeah. Bye."

Miltia took off quickly after her sister. This was indeed becoming a problem. Her issues. Her attitude. Her lack of a proper coping mechanism.

In reality, it had always been a problem. It was just one they never wanted to address. They had their ways of dealing with it. Drinking and fighting had been temporary solutions to stave off the nightmares. Though they did not stop Miltia from having them. But there was one thing, or rather one boy, who did help with them...

Miltia could not imagine sleeping alone anymore. Wrapped in the warm and protective embrace of Jaune, the nightmares did not come anymore. Her sleeping mind did not wander back to Mountain Glenn when she was in his arms. She did not relive the events which had stolen everything from her and her sister, because Jaune was there to protect her from such tragedy. Melanie did not have that same gift, however.

Deprived of comfort, deprived of a coping method, and deprived of home, there was no way for the girl to deal with her issues. She would only continue to self-destruct further. She would only continue to lash out at those around her. Something had to be done. They had to finally do what they had never wanted to do. What they had always been too afraid to do.

They had to confront the ghosts of their past.

* * *

The sound of turning gears was rhythmic. How did it not drive the man, and anyone else in the room insane?

Jaune sat in a large room, seated across the desk from the headmaster of Beacon Academy. All around them were clocks. The imagery of clocks. The sound. The smell. The taste of clocks. It was insane to even think such things, but Jaune's senses were so saturated with the devices that he could swear that all of his senses were being assaulted by the things.

The older spectacled man sat across from him, looking down at a small pile of papers on his desk. It was an intimidating feeling to be certain. Headmaster Ozpin was clearly an old and experienced huntsman. He oozed confidence and knowledge from his very being. And yet, for some reason, the man had wanted to speak with Jaune in private. The boy recalled a few days earlier at the dance when Ozpin had first brought the matter up. At the time he didn't think much of it. There were too many other pressing issues to be concerned with. However, seeing how Melanie had already been punished for her transgressions, surely it could not be about that. What, then?

Turning to look out the window, there was a spectacular view of the whole city of Vale from up here. Beacon, and more specifically this tall tower, stood over the city like a watchful sentinel. In a way it was fitting, since the huntsmen were the guardians and protectors of mankind. But then again, maybe from up here they stood in a dominant and commanding position over the rest of mankind. Like they were better than the rest of the people that they protected and served. Had he been spending too much time with the twins to make him think such a thing? Perhaps. One thing was for certain, however. They most certainly were above the law. Team RWBY's actions on the highway and their lack of consequences told the boy that much.

The white-haired man across the desk finally finished his reading, and looked up to regard his guest. "Mr. Arc," he said smoothly.

The sound of her name shook Jaune from his musings, and he turned back to look at the headmaster. "Yeah."

"Thank you for coming to see me. I know that things have been a little bit hectic over the past few days. Tell me, how are your friends adjusting to my academy?"

Jaune didn't respond immediately. How did one exactly tell a man that his amazing academy was the equivalent of a prison to those two girls? That for Melanie's part at least, she hated every minute she spent trapped in this school? That the man's generosity was wasted on people who didn't want to be here?

Deciding to go with a safe and noncommittal approach, Jaune used the same tactic he had once used on Ruby when talking about his job at Junior's club. "It's interesting," he said. "Definitely different."

He could have sworn that there was a ghost of a smirk on the older man's face. He had a bad feeling about that. "They hate it here, don't they?" Ozpin asked.

Bad feeling confirmed. Leave it to the headmaster of Beacon Academy to not be fooled by his ploy. Ruby was a young, and honestly naive girl. She was also his friend. That made her easier to trick. But this man who had been around for decades? Who had dealt with teenagers like Jaune for most of his life? It was laughable to think that his answer would fool the man.

"Well I wasn't about to say it..."

Ozpin shook his head softly. "It's quite alright. The life of a huntsman is not for everyone. This academy is not for everyone. Especially when the people in question come from backgrounds as colorful as the Malachite sisters. But since they are here, all one can do is try to be as accommodating as possible to their needs."

Colorful. That was one way to put it. Part of Jaune wanted to ask how much about those girls Ozpin really knew. Did he know that they were more than mere bouncers? Was that perhaps what was on those papers he was reading? Perhaps those were some detailed background checks on the girls.

But if he did know about them, and he did know that they hated it here, then why did Ozpin want them here? Jaune's mind went back to what Melanie said just a couple days ago. She had flat out said that Glynda did not want to kick them out of Beacon. That despite all the trouble that she had caused, Glynda did not want to see her leave. It was curious if true. But he couldn't just ask Ozpin head on, could he?

Ozpin's last statement had put the ball back in Jaune's court, so to speak. The man had spoken of his generosity, and Jaune could not deny it. To do so would paint him in a terrible light in front of the man. "Yeah, definitely," he agreed. "We really do appreciate you looking after us after what happened to Junior's club. And I'm sorry for all the trouble that Melanie's caused."

The man nodded his head slightly, and this time a small smile did form on his face. "Thank you, Mr. Arc. I'm just happy that the situation has been resolved and all parties involved are moving on."

Jaune nodded in agreement. And that statement just confirmed that he was not here because of Melanie's issues. So that again raised the question, why did Ozpin summon him here?

"And how are you enjoying your stay here?" Ozpin continued. "Or perhaps enjoy is the wrong word. Perhaps you too feel as though you're trapped in a cage and long for freedom."

The boy frowned. Truth be told his feelings on being back here were mixed. Jaune had long given up on his dreams of being a huntsman. He wanted no part of that lifestyle anymore after seeing what it did to people. The innocent. His friends. His girlfriend. Even himself. The wish to be the big hero and live up to his family reputation had been a childish one. A selfish one. A naive one. Did he honestly think he would be able to face down the creatures of Grimm with what little training he had gotten from his father? What if his foolishness had gotten himself killed? Or worse, someone else killed?

But then again, being back here only reminded him of his old foolish self. It reminded him of his failures. Of his wasted time and efforts. His wasted dreaming. If not a huntsman, what was he going to do with his life? What were his long term goals? He couldn't work at Junior's place forever, could he? He didn't want to have to hurt people. Even bad people who deserved it. He didn't want to fight against terrorists or gangs in downtown Vale. He wanted a normal peaceful life. But was that what Miltia wanted too? He honestly had no idea how she would react to him not wanting to work or live at the club anymore.

He couldn't go back to his 'it's interesting' response. So this time he just decided to be honest. "I don't know," he admitted. "It's nice and all. And I really do appreciate you allowing us to stay here. But at the same time I know it's not permanent. I know that being a huntsman isn't what I want to do anymore."

Jaune wondered if his admission had insulted the man. It was one thing to say that to Miltia. It was quite another to say it to the headmaster of a school for huntsmen.

If Ozpin was insulted by the words, his face did not show it. That same neutral expression remained. "May I ask why you originally wanted to become a huntsman?"

There were a lot of reasons. Some of them were selfish, others selfless. Jaune didn't know where to begin. "I don't know," he started. "I guess... I guess the main reason was that I wanted to make my family proud. I come from a long line of warriors and heroes. I guess I just sort of put that expectation on myself. Even if no one else did."

No one in his family expected him to succeed as a huntsman. His father had ultimately found his skills to be lacking when he had trained growing up. That was why he had to forge his transcripts. That was why he had to lie and say he was going to a school for the arts instead of a combat school. No one dared to believe he was actually pursuing the path of a huntsman.

Ozpin leaned back in his seat, and nodded understandingly. "Those are indeed quite hefty goals. Especially for a child."

Jaune wanted to be offended by the fact that Ozpin had just called him a child. However, he was only seventeen. He _was_ still just a child. Especially in comparison to this old, experienced huntsman.

"Did you want to be a hero as well?" the man continued. "Like those in your family?"

He did. He wanted desperately to be the hero. To be someone that others looked up to. To be more powerful than he actually was. Jaune nodded grimly. "Yeah. I did."

"It is a noble goal. To put the needs of others before yourself. To sacrifice so much for those around you, even those you don't know. Those who may not even know or appreciate what you've done for them."

Jaune nodded. "Yeah. But I mean, it's kinda selfish for me too. I wanted to do it for more than just others. It would have made me feel good too."

A small smile crept on Ozpin's face. "Don't be hard on yourself. Every act of kindness has a small portion of selfishness imbedded in it, even if we don't realize it. We feel good about ourselves when we act selflessly. We reward ourselves for helping others by thinking that we are superior to those who are selfish. Is that not selfish in and of itself?"

He hadn't considered that. Jaune did take pride in the fact that he wanted to help others. It did make him feel good about himself. Was Ozpin right? "I guess that makes sense."

"Still, I do not wish to dampen your enthusiasm. Regardless of the philosophical and moral quandaries of wanting to help others, it is still always a worthy pursuit." The man's hands folded in front of him on the desk. "Is it a fair assessment to say that helping others is something you wish to do? That you care about the wellbeing of those around you, even if you do not know them personally?"

Jaune nodded once more. "Yeah. I'd like to help anyone I can. No matter who they are."

His thoughts went back to Tukson. A man who he had just met, and who he had witnessed get beaten half to death by Melanie. Jaune had wanted to help that man escape the reach of the White Fang. In the end, he had failed. He was no hero. Just like he wasn't a huntsman.

"What if I told you that not all heroes had to be huntsmen?" The words made Jaune's head lift up look Ozpin in those piercing brown eyes of his. "Why, there are heroes all around us who don't have fancy weapons or Semblances. Doctors. Police officers. Firefighters. The list goes on and on. You wouldn't deny that those people are any less heroic than the faculty of this academy, would you?"

Of course not. The list Ozpin had just rattled off was full of heroes. "No, I agree," Jaune said. "Them. Soldiers. Teachers. Like you said, lots of people."

Ozpin smiled. "I'm happy you feel that way. It takes helping only a single person to make you a hero. Would you agree?"

"Yeah. For sure."

"To save a hundred makes you an even bigger hero. To save a thousand. And many, many more."

Jaune was confused by such a strange statement. Regardless, he agreed with Ozpin's assessment. "Right."

"Mr. Arc, what if I told you that there was a way you could be a hero right here in this academy? That you could do it without the need of being a huntsman?"

Be a hero at a huntsman academy without being a huntsman? Jaune sincerely hoped that this was not some sort of trick, or some sort of play on words, and that Ozpin was going to invite him to become the new janitor of Beacon Academy under the pretense of, 'The toilets don't scrub themselves. Only a true hero can do that.'

Jaune responded after a few moments of doubt. "How?"

The mood in the room seemed to darken along with Ozpin's face as he spoke. "Several months ago, a colleague of mine was grievously injured in battle. The wound is mortal, and sadly she is only clinging to life thanks to a piece of advanced medical equipment. There is no medical cure for this woman. Even her own Aura is powerless to heal her."

The situation had just taken a very serious turn. Jaune didn't quite know how to respond to the headmaster's admission. All he could do was offer his condolences. "I'm sorry."

Ozpin nodded. "So am I, Mr. Arc. However..." Those eyes were once more focused on Jaune. There was an intensity which had not been there before. "I've heard from Professor Goodwitch that you possess quite a unique Semblance. Aura Amplification, I believe is the term she used to describe it. Not only can you strengthen your own Aura, but you can also amplify that of others. You can heal those who were injured."

While Jaune was still getting used to focusing his Aura to strengthen his own body, he had more experience in the latter. The first time had been with Miltia just after Junior's club was bombed. Her wounds probably would have been life-ending if not for his Semblance finally unlocking and saving her life. Since then he had continued using it on his lover, only for a very different purpose.

Miltia described the mingling of their Auras as an intimate experience. To have his Aura inside of her, coursing through every inch of her body, must have been an incredible and indescribable experience for the girl. Judging by the way she reacted when he did it now, by the way it got her in the mood for certain activities... Jaune could only imagine that she was telling the truth.

"Yeah, I can do that," Jaune confirmed. Based on the conversation they were having, he had a good idea of where it was going next. Still, he wanted Ozpin to confirm it. "Why do you ask?"

The man folded his hands neatly atop his desk. "Mr. Arc. I would be most interested to see if your Semblance would be able to heal my companion. If you were to save her life, you would become a hero in ways that you could not possibly imagine."

When Ozpin put it that way, how could he possibly refuse?

* * *

For the first time she could remember, Miltia was happy that Jaune was not present. This was a conversation that needed to happen between her and her sister.

The incident in the sparring room with that Beacon student had been the final straw as far as she was concerned. They hadn't been at Beacon for long, barely two weeks at this point. But it was already taking a toll on her sister in ways that were beginning to manifest themselves physically. Never mind the emotional trauma that Melanie must be going through right now, being trapped in this hated place. She was lashing out at others, both verbally and physically. First with Ruby. Now that boy. When would the next incident happen? With who? How?

And the scariest question of all, what if Melanie picked a fight with the wrong person? What if she picked one who could not only fight back, but win?

Miltia would not risk that. She would not risk her sister's happiness or well-being any longer. This little vacation at Beacon with Jaune had been fun for her, and it had been fun for him. However, Melanie was miserable. She knew what had to be done.

The two of them were in their dorm now waiting for Jaune to return. He was still in his meeting with Headmaster Ozpin. That at least gave her some time to present her argument to Melanie. Not that it would take much effort to get her to agree to the plan in her mind.

Turning to look at her sister, she saw that the girl still had a scowl on her face. She knew that what she was about to suggest would only make things worse, but in her mind it was the only way to eventually make things better.

"Mel," the girl said, breaking the silence in the room.

Her twin looked over at her. "Yeah?"

"Start packing your shit. We're leaving Beacon."

There was a small part of Miltia which had expected her to stand up and pump her fist into the air with joy, but it never came. The surprise on Melanie's face was clear, but not at all unexpected. "What?"

"We have to get out of here," Miltia explained. "This place sucks."

Melanie frowned. "I mean, duh. But I'm just surprised you wanna leave too. Seemed like you and Jaune were having a great time."

They were. Miltia would never deny that. It was almost like being put up in a hotel room for free while they go to lounge around and do nothing. No real responsibilities. No bills to worry about. Just hang out, enjoy each other's company, and take in all the sights Beacon had to offer.

However, this was not about her and Jaune. This was about her sister.

"He'll understand," the younger twin said knowingly.

"What if he doesn't? What if he gets mad?"

Since when did Melanie care about her relationship with the boy so much? It was touching to see this kind of sincerity from her sister. But again, this wasn't about Jaune.

Miltia stood and approached the other girl. "If he doesn't like it, well, tough shit. I mean I love him and all, but..." She bent down to pull Melanie into a tight embrace. "You're my sister. You'll always be my other half. And you'll always be the most important person in my life." It took a moment, but Melanie reciprocated the hug. For long moments they remained until finally Miltia pulled back. "And I can't fucking stand seeing you suffer like this."

Melanie nodded softly. For once she seemed to be at a loss for words. Miltia thought that maybe she should be open and emotional more often. Maybe it'd be a good way of shutting the other girl up when she got too annoying.

A soft laugh slipped through Melanie's lips. "You said you love him. Have you told him that yet? Has he told you?"

Only then did it occur to Miltia that she had actually spoken those words. They had come out unintentionally. Without thought or rehearsal. Did that mean that the words were genuine?

Miltia couldn't stop the soft smile from forming on her lips. "No," she admitted. "But... like, I think our actions do all the talking for us."

"You mean all the fucking?"

A small blush spread on Miltia's face. "Yeah... that."

"Hopefully wherever we end up will have separate rooms. Then you two can bang all you want and I won't have to walk in on it like I did that one time..."

That had indeed been an embarrassing incident. Just another reason for leaving Beacon. No more shared room.

"So when are we leaving?" Melanie continued. "When Jaune gets back?"

That question led to the next part of Miltia's plan. The part that she knew her sister wouldn't like. "Tonight. But..." she said hesitantly. "Don't tell Jaune."

Surprise once more etched itself on her older sister's face. "Huh?"

"We're sneaking out 'cause we're the ones who Miss Goodbitch won't let leave," she explained, using her sister's favorite name for the professor. "Or, you at least. Jaune can leave anytime he wants."

Melanie nodded in understanding. "Okay, but how are we gonna get out when the pilots know not to give us rides to Vale?"

"What, do you suddenly have a problem with stealing?"

The girl blinked. "Fuck no. But, like, I know I'm amazing and shit, but even I don't know how to fly a Bullhead."

"The pilot does."

"But he won't fly us."

"And that's why you're gonna tell him you'll fuck him if he takes you down to Vale." The look of disgust on Melanie's face told the whole story, prompting Miltia to clarify her plan. "You're not actually gonna fuck him, Mel. At least you don't have to. Do what you want. I don't care."

Melanie was used to using her body as a weapon. Both literally with her legs, and figuratively with her feminine assets. Getting a man to do what she wanted would be easy for someone as beautiful as her.

"And if he doesn't?" Melanie asked.

Miltia walked over to the suitcase where her claws rested. Picking one up, she regarded its razor sharp blades. "Then we tell him we'll fuck him up if he doesn't. He's not gonna say no when he's got a couple blades pressed against his throat. Either way it'll be totally convincing."

Once more, Melanie looked surprised by her sister's words. "Shit. Since when did you get so ruthless?"

There were only a few things in the world that would make Miltia as aggressive and brutal as her sister. Her sister was in fact one of those things. "Because I love you, Mel. I'd do anything for you."

Melanie laughed. "Even hijack a fucking Bullhead from Beacon."

"Even that."

The other girl stood up, a new spring in her step as she grabbed her own suitcase and threw it on the bed. "I'm down for that. But still, why are we doing this without telling Jaune?"

Miltia swallowed hard. She had been distracted for long enough by the other topics. It was time to make the final sales pitch to Melanie. "Because we gotta go do something without him," she explained. "Something personal."

"Oh?" Melanie smirked mischievously. "What, you wanna go shopping for some eatable panties or something?" The joke earned no smile from Miltia. That in itself caused Melanie's own to fall from her face. Her teasing tone turned somber when she spoke next. "Mil... what's going on?"

 _Well, here it goes_. "We're gonna go see mom and dad."

Surprise. Shock. Horror. Fear. All these expressions and more manifested themselves on Melanie's face in an instant. "What?"

Miltia bit down on her lip briefly before she spoke. "We gotta go see them. Talk to them. Something."

Confusion was added to the list of emotions raging inside Melanie. "The fuck are you talking about? You can't mean what I think you do."

She nodded her head softly, as if confirming Melanie's worst fears. "Yeah. We're gonna go to Mountain Glenn."

Melanie threw the article of clothing in her hands down onto the bed and marched the few feet over to where her sister stood. "You can't fucking be serious. Why the fuck would you wanna go back there?"

Why? Because that was the root of their issues. Where it all began. Where their lives had been changed forever. Where Melanie got her drinking problem from. Where Miltia's nightmares had spawned from. Where their Semblances had been unlocked. Every action and decision which they had made up to this point had been shaped by the events of the fall of Mountain Glenn. By the trauma that it had caused them.

"Because we have to get over it," Miltia told her. Her own body was trembling as she said the words. She was scared, but she knew she had to be strong for her sister.

"Fuck you!" Melanie screamed. "I don't have to get over shit!"

The girl turned to move away, but Miltia lashed out and grabbed her arm. "You wanna fucking drink yourself to death? You wanna keep picking fights with people 'til one of them finally decides to fuck you up for a change? What if the next Yang Xiao Long actually puts a fucking bullet in your head?"

"Fuck off!"

Melanie tried to pull away, but Miltia pulled her back. She pulled the girl into another tight embrace. Her sister did not refuse it.

Miltia squeezed the girl tightly, one of her hands coming up to run itself through Melanie's hair. "We gotta do something," she said softly. Tears were forming in her eyes as she held onto her sister for dear life. "When I'm with Jaune I don't have nightmares, but you don't have anyone like that. And I know Jaune might not be around forever. He might die. Or he might get sick of me and leave. Then the nightmares will come back. So... we just gotta get over this shit, Melanie. We have to go back."

She felt the warm wetness of her sister's tears as Melanie's head pressed against her shoulder. "I don't wanna go back..."

Neither did Miltia. But she knew they had to do something. She had had enough of the drinking. Enough of the fighting. Enough lashing out. Enough pain. They had to confront their past. They had to do it head on.

"I know, Melanie." Her hand continued to soothingly stroke the girl's long hair like a mother would have done for her child. "But we gotta try. Maybe going back there will help."

And much like a mother, the mother that she had to become out of necessity, she knew that she had to make hard decisions for the good of her children. Or in this case, her sister. It would hurt to go back. It would be scary. But it might do them both some good.

"And if it doesn't?"

"I dunno," she admitted. "But anything's better than the shit you're going through right now." After a few seconds, Miltia felt the head pressed against her nod. Melanie pushed herself away to reveal a face with smudged black eyeliner. Miltia smiled at the sight. "You okay?"

Melanie nodded again. "Fuck. You're never gonna let me live down that I cried."

"I cried too."

"Yeah, but you're a fucking pussy."

Miltia laughed. "Whatever. Are you okay with this?"

A soft shrug of the shoulders told the whole story. "I dunno. But... I guess what you said makes sense."

She hoped it did. Miltia was no psychologist, but even she knew things she had picked up off of TV and magazines. Sometimes you just had to confront your problems head on. And if it didn't work, then at least they would have tried.

"Yeah. So get ready. We're leaving tonight."

Melanie nodded before walking back over to her suitcase.

Miltia resumed her own packing as well. She didn't know what the future had in store for them, but something had to change. She was determined to make it a change for the better.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** My apologies for taking so long to update. But at least I haven't been idle! I did plenty of other writing since updating. There are two new short White Knight stories on my profile if that interests you.

So since posting last chapter, this story has surpassed 1,000 favorites. That's awesome. I can't thank you all enough for such an incredible show of support. It means so much to me that so many people are getting so much enjoyment out of the fic.

You'll probably also notice that this story has new cover art. I commissioned the piece from a very talented artist named TabletKnight. They do incredible work for a very good price. I highly recommend them if you're looking to commission art of your own. Or just check out their tumblr to see more great RWBY art. A friend of mine commissioned a NSFW piece of Jaune and both twins from Tablet, so enjoy that.

As always I want to thank you for reading. I hope you liked the chapter.


	27. Chapter 27

It was a good thing Jaune was a heavy sleeper. He hadn't woken up when the soft alarm Melanie set had gone off.

As much as she wanted to do this for both hers and her sister's sakes, Miltia was still hard-pressed to get out of bed so early in the morning. Especially when she was wrapped in the safe and loving embrace of Jaune's arms. In her dazed state, she had nearly fought off the waking hands of Melanie as she squeezed Jaune even tighter. Eventually, however, the haze in her brain cleared and she remembered what she had to do. She remembered it was her idea in the first place.

Getting dressed in the darkness was simple enough. Both twins had laid out their outfits the night before inside their suitcases. Now that she thought about it, what had even been the point of packing anyway? They wouldn't be bringing any luggage with them to Mountain Glenn. That would just be foolish. No, it would stay here at Beacon with Jaune. He would look after it. And eventually when it was time for him to leave as well, hopefully sooner rather than later, he would bring it back to them. Or if he couldn't it was no big deal anyway. It wasn't as if there was anything irreplaceable in those cases anyway.

With her blades securely fastened to her wrists and donning her favorite and newly-mended blood-red dress, Miltia looked like she was ready for either a fight or a night on the town. Knowing her sister, those two things were not mutually exclusive. However, unlike most nights, it was not Melanie who was itching for a fight. If they didn't get their way tonight, there would most certainly by one.

She took a deep breath and eyed her sister in the darkness. The outside lights filtering in through the singular window gave just enough illumination to see that Melanie was ready as well. With a soft nod, the other girl made her way toward the door. Miltia was about to follow, but remembered there was one thing left to do.

Stepping carefully across the floor, Miltia moved next to the bed which she and Jaune stared and looked down at the sleeping boy. A faint smile spread across her lips at the sight of him. So peaceful. So unaware. Hopefully he was having pleasant dreams about her. She longed to return her cold body to his warm embrace, but she knew that she had to forego that comfort for tonight. It was for the greater good. There would be plenty of opportunities for cuddling after tonight. Hopefully.

Bending down, Miltia brought her lips to his face and pressed them lightly against his forehead. Nothing too much to risk waking him. When she stood up again, that smile was still present on her face. "Don't hate me too much when you wake up," she whispered. "I'll totally make it up to you later. You'll like it."

She felt a shiver run through her body as she thought about all the ways she might repay him for abandoning him here at Beacon. For venturing off to Mountain Glenn without him. Surely he would understand, right? This was something personal that she and Melanie had to deal with. Something that as much as he would want to help with, he simply didn't understand.

Taking one last moment to steel her resolve, Miltia nodded to herself before walking back over to the doorway where Melanie stood. A second later the door was closed, the soft click telling that it had shut and locked completely. Miltia took a deep breath as she stood in the eerie silence of the hall.

"You okay?"

The younger twin nodded once more. "Yeah. Just..."

"Nervous?" Melanie smiled.

"Mmhmm."

It was hard not to be. It wasn't everyday that she snuck out of an academy for aspiring huntsmen, hijacked a Bullhead, and went off to the old abandoned city where her parents had been killed.

Yeah. Nervousness was an understatement for the girl.

"Well, let's get the fuck outta here," Melanie insisted as she grabbed hold of her sister's hand. "Sooner I can get out of this shithole the better."

Beacon was far from a shithole. However, it might as well have been for Melanie. Her free spirit was suffocated here. The girl would have much preferred walking the streets and staying at cheap motels every night over this place. Now that they were leaving the sanctuary of Beacon, that might just be their fate until Junior's club was repaired once more.

It didn't take long for them to get out of Beacon's guest dorm. No one had made any attempt to stop them either. At around four in the morning, no one without any sort of hidden agenda would be awake yet. Luckily it seemed as if the two of them were the only ones with such an agenda.

The warm night air kissed Miltia's bare skin, and it was enough to make her begin to sweat. Either that or the nerves. A glance over at Melanie showed that she walked with her usual swagger and confidence. It was a sharp contrast from how she had been behaving the previous day. Had her fear over confronting their past been squashed so easily? Or was she simply that eager to escape the prison of Beacon Academy? Whatever the case, seeing Melanie's cool and collected attitude gave Miltia renewed confidence of her own.

"So what's the plan?" Melanie asked as they neared main air ship landing pads.

"Same plan as I told you yesterday."

Melanie scoffed softly. "I can't believe you're gonna make me do this."

"What? You always talk about how you have a nice ass. Use it."

"Whatever."

Miltia smirked. "Don't start getting shy on me. We need your sluttiness now."

"Fuck off," her sister snapped. "I haven't gotten laid in weeks. If anything you're the slut for all the sex you and Jaune have been having."

While Melanie wasn't wrong, this was different. "Being in a committed relationship is like, the opposite of sluttiness."

"Oh I'm sorry," her sister said as she grabbed hold of her left hand. "Is that wedding ring on your finger invisible or something? Nah, you're just fucking the first guy you ever fell for."

Miltia pulled her hand back from her sister. "Shut up," she spat. She wasn't a slut for being with Jaune. It was called dating. She didn't need to be married to have sex. Melanie knew that too. She was just being a bitch.

"Fucking months, even," Melanie continued. "Not since before Jaune showed up at the club. So if you want, I can show you just how slutty I can be and hop into bed with Jaune. Think he'd like a threeway? Or should I just cut my hair short and pretend to be you?"

The pure spite coming from Melanie was almost palpable. All because she had called her that one word. "Sorry," Miltia said softly.

A long breath slipped through Melanie's lips. "Whatever. Let's just fucking get this over with. The sooner we get on that ship the better."

Maybe Melanie was more nervous than she showed. Maybe this anger was being used to cover up the fear in her own heart.

Miltia's mind went back to her sister's idle threats. The thought of sharing Jaune with her was out of the question. He was hers. Miltia was possessive and proud of it. She would fight anyone tooth and nail who tried to take Jaune from her. Be it someone trying to steal him away from her romantically, or an enemy trying to take his life.

Her mind then returned to the other thing Melanie had said. She looked down at her hand. Specifically her left ring finger. What would it look like to have a ring on it? What would it feel like? Would it feel constraining to have a band of precious metal wrapped around it? Or would it feel somehow liberating?

Would she and Jaune ever get that far in their relationship to even consider such a thing? Would he even want that kind of arrangement with her of all people? How would his family feel about him marrying a girl like her? A criminal like her?

Miltia shook her head clear of the thoughts. Now was not the time to be getting worked up over such things. Not when they had important work to do tonight. And not when she and Jaune had only been together for a couple of weeks. Even contemplating marriage was an absurd thought which was absolutely out of the question this early.

Casually strutting up to the landing pads, the twins made it appear as if it was just any other day. Like they had a scheduled flight they were arriving for, and nothing at all was out of the ordinary. If there had been any onlookers, no one would have given them a second glance. Luckily this early in the morning there was no one else out and about.

Beacon Academy had twenty four hour a day service to Vale in case of emergencies. A pilot was always on standby, and tonight they would take advantage of that lapse in security.

Miltia pulled the door to the passenger's compartment open, and she and Melanie hopped inside. Their sudden entrance must have startled the pilot, if his initial physical reaction was anything to go by. He turned back to regard the two. "Little late to be going down to Vale, don't you think?" He pulled out his scroll for a brief moment before continuing. "Or I guess a little early depending on who you are."

"Yeah, my sister and me are like, total early risers and all that," Melanie lied.

"What are you kids headed to Vale for so early then?"

Miltia wanted to correct the man to tell him they weren't kids. However, picking a fight with their ride to Mountain Glenn wouldn't be the best idea. "Visiting family," she said simply. It wasn't as grievous a lie as Melanie's was either.

"Sounds good. Names?"

Melanie blinked. "What?"

"What are your names?" the pilot repeated. "We keep logs of this kind of stuff. You know, for security purposes."

She hadn't thought of that. No matter. It's not as if this guy could know any of the students by name alone. "Ruby Rose," she finally answered.

This was going surprisingly easier than expected. Perhaps she had just been preparing for the worst, but Miltia thought that it would take more convincing to hitch a ride. Maybe Glynda's threat of keeping them from getting to Vale had been an idle one. After all, outside of every pilot having a picture of the twins, there was no way they could have recognized them on sight and prevented them from boarding. It even looked as though Melanie would not need to seduce the pilot.

As the man entered the name onto a data pad, Melanie shot her a dirty look. "Bitch..."

"What?"

"You're gonna make me be Yang?" her sister whispered.

"Be Weiss then," Miltia whispered back.

"I already said we were sisters. And who the fuck doesn't know the Schnee family?"

"Then just be Yang." A small smile formed on her face. "After all you are like, the older sister, right?"

Melanie rolled her eyes. She obviously wasn't a fan of gloating about being the older twin being thrown back in her face. "Whatever." She turned her attention back to the pilot and spoke louder. "And I'm Yang Xiao Long after getting a much needed tit reduction surgery."

A brief and uncomfortable silence settled over the ship before the pilot finally began entering her name as well. "A little too much info, but sure," he said.

Miltia winced at the backhanded insult. Luckily it hadn't blown their cover. Here was a man who was just doing his job and probably didn't think much of transporting the students of Beacon Academy. They were already an odd bunch. Super strong teenagers with incredible weapons and abilities were normal for the school. To this pilot, the eccentric personality of Melanie must not have stood out at all.

"Okay girls, strap in. We're taking off."

Neither complied with the request. For Melanie it was a simple matter of not liking to take orders for others. For Miltia on the other hand, well, she needed to get close for what came next.

The Bullhead rose and departed Beacon on its way to Vale. The plan must have been to go to its designated landing pad, drop them off, and then head back to the school. Miltia had a slight change of plans, however. There was no point in going to Vale and securing another ride when they had a perfectly good one here.

She stood from her seat and approached the cockpit. "Change of plans," she said. "Take us to Mountain Glenn."

Despite not looking back in order to keep his eyes on the skies, Miltia could tell the man was shocked. "Mountain Glenn?" he asked in surprise. "Why on earth would you want to go there?"

"Field trip?"

The man shook his head. "You kids aren't scheduled for your missions until later today. And with huntsman supervision," he added warily. "What's going on here?"

His hand went to reach for the onboard radio, but was stopped short when a pair of curved claws met his throat. His movement stopped in a heartbeat. "Take us to Mountain Glenn," she ordered.

"But-"

The blades inched closer to his flesh. "Mountain Glenn and no one gets hurt." Miltia was glad Jaune wasn't here to see this side of her. As much as she could let her guard down around the boy and play the part of the affectionate girlfriend, deep down this was still who she was. Who she feared that she would always be. A ruthless enforcer. A girl who would commit violence on behalf of those she cared for.

The pilot nodded nervously. "Yeah. Sure thing. Mountain Glenn."

The Bullhead abruptly turned, a new course plotted. Miltia stood right there to make sure he didn't do anything stupid. Surely he wouldn't with two armed and presumably Beacon-trained students on board with him. Especially when they had threatened him with violence.

Miltia's heart was pounding in her chest as the Bullhead veered away from Vale and went off to where it had all begun.

* * *

Well this was... different.

Jaune stood in an elevator he had not previously known existed. Not that he knew Beacon inside and out or anything, but it was odd that this elevator existed in Headmaster Ozpin's office. What was even odder was the fact that he seemed to have a tall and extremely intimidating bodyguard escorting him to his destination.

The boy always thought that he was tall for his age. At six-foot-one, he did stand above over most of his peers. However, Glynda Goodwitch was as tall as he was. She may have been in heels, but even without them she was still well above average for a woman. Then came the other two. Headmaster Ozpin must have been half a foot taller. The same for the third person who was accompanying him in the elevator. The imposing man in the white uniform whose name he had not gotten yet.

Why couldn't they have all been Professor Port sized? At least then it wouldn't have felt like he was being led down to an execution chamber instead of... wherever it was that they were going.

Never one to stay silent in an uncomfortable situation, Jaune spoke. "So..." he started. "Where are we going exactly?"

"A basement of sorts," Ozpin answered smoothly. Calmly. Surely if there was any nefarious intent here he couldn't have been so calm, right?

Jaune nodded. "And your friend is down there?"

"She is."

He nodded again. It seemed a little bit unusual to keep a mortally wounded woman in a basement. Why wasn't she in a hospital? Or maybe Beacon's basement was its medical facility? Jaune couldn't say. In any case, he still did wonder why so many people were needed for what was just supposed to be a test of his Semblance. To see if he could indeed heal this huntress who meant a great deal to Ozpin.

"Well, I hope I can help then."

"We all do," the mystery man spoke. Jaune looked back and up at the intimidating figure. "Mr. Arc, if what we believe is true, then you have the potential to save many lives. More than you could possibly imagine."

Ozpin had told him something similar to that. Of course it made sense. If his Semblance had the ability to heal others, he could go into some sort of medical profession. He could even be some sort of field medic for huntsmen. There was the potential there to be a hero in ways he had never thought possible before.

But did he even want that anymore? After everything he had seen and done, the idea of being a huntsman and a hero was not an appealing one anymore. That fairy tale was just that. A fairy tale. Romanticized and twisted to seem like something great and noble when in reality it was a harsh and cruel job. One where people died. Both those deserving and those not.

"I'm sorry, but I didn't catch your name," Jaune said to the man.

"My apologies," he said as he reached out with a hand. "General James Ironwood."

Ironwood's grip was frightening, and Jaune felt as though his hand was going to be crushed in the vice grip that was his handshake. It may very well have been if not for his Aura.

"James is an old colleague of mine," Ozpin explained. "A trusted friend, as well as the head of Atlas Academy. A friend of the woman we hope to heal."

That made sense to Jaune. If someone like Ruby or Melanie had been injured, there was no doubt that everyone who was their friends would show up hoping that she would make a speedy recovery.

The elevator finally reached its destination and the doors opened. To say it was a basement was an understatement. This was... Jaune didn't know what to call it.

Massive pillars stretched up so far that he could barely make out the ceiling above them. Wall-mounted braziers housed green flames which dimly lit the enormous... cavern-like basement of Beacon Academy. Jaune had already been nervous. The fact that it looked like he had just stepped foot into some sort of secret lair only made his body react even worse than before. His heart rate spiked. His palms were sweaty. A slight shiver made his body shake as he stood in awe of it all.

A hand on his back finally prompted him to move forward. "This way, Mr. Arc," the gentle voice of Miss Goodwitch said.

He complied, and forced his body to take a step forward. Then another. Soon enough it became easy, despite the fact that each step he took brought him further and further away from his only way of escape. He had to keep reminding himself that they weren't here to murder him. If they wanted him dead, there were plenty of ways to do it without going to such elaborate lengths. Without needing two academy headmasters and a powerful huntress. He was just one boy after all.

Boots squeaked on the polished tile floor as they continued. People had gone to such expensive and elaborate lengths to decorate this place, and yet it was so far out of the way that it was not practical to be used regularly. Just what was this place really? And why would Ozpin keep his injured friend here?

Jaune shook his head. No. He did not want to even ponder such questions. These issues were beyond his pay grade. He was here to help out a wounded huntress. Not know about whatever secrets these incredibly powerful and dangerous people were keeping. He had already gotten involved in business he shouldn't have once before with the White Fang. He wasn't about to do so again.

Finally after what seemed like an eternity of walking they reached their destination. A chamber more well-lit than the rest of the cavern. Lit by the glowing blue of computer monitors, attached the a pair of massive pods. One of which contained a human body.

Jaune stopped and swallowed hard. The wounded huntress. Seeing her up close and in person sent chills down his spine.

The simple white undergarments she seemed to wear contrasted sharply with her dark, tanned skin. She appeared to be asleep, or more likely, in a coma. Ozpin had said that she was only being kept alive by highly advantaged technology, after all. It was very likely that this technology also kept her in a sort of stasis as well.

"James," the elder man suddenly spoke. "Will the technology keeping her alive be at all compromised if the pod is opened? How long will we have if it is?"

"It's hard to say," the other man answered. "There should not be any issues with the glass being opened for Mr. Arc to use his Semblance. However, I don't know for certain. This kind of scenario has never been tested before. I believe that he should use his Semblance as soon as he is physically able to."

Ozpin nodded. "Very well." He turned to look at Jaune. "Mr. Arc. If you would, please have your Semblance ready to use as soon as the pod is opened."

The nervous shaking did not subside as Jaune nodded in confirmation. "Uh... yeah. Right."

A slight frown formed on Ozpin's lips. "Do you have any questions before we begin?"

Jaune had so many questions. However, he dared not ask any of them. He merely looked down at his trembling hands as he attempted to activate his Semblance. "No," he lied. "Well, just one. All you want me to do is put my hands on her and use my Semblance, right?"

"Correct. Just how you did to your friend the day of the club's bombing. Just how you practiced with Glynda."

He nodded again. "Right."

Each step he took felt like a mile as he approached the pod. The sterile stench of death hung in the air around him. The soft humming of machinery filled his ears. His pulse pounded inside his head. His shaking fingers glowed with a dim light as he came face to face with the woman behind the class.

Her face was scarred. Had it been as a result of the attack? There were no other physical signs of injuries on her. No bound or bandaged wounds. No cuts or bruises. Only the facial discoloring.

With a soft whoosh the air pressure was released, and the door to the pod suddenly opened. Slowly but surely Jaune had gained access to the living flesh and blood of the woman held inside. He raised his hands and moved to place them on her bare abdomen.

Hoping against hope that his nerves would not interfere, Jaune pressed down on her flesh. White Aura coursed over and through her body. He closed his eyes and felt his Aura flowing through her much like it had with Miltia. And just like with Miltia, he could feel a slight bit of what the woman had inside of her. Not on a physical level, but something far more indescribable. Something beyond the normal human senses. Aura was a manifestation of the soul. He had felt Miltia's soul, just as she had felt his. He was feeling this girl's soul as well.

It was weak. Like it was barely there. Like she was barely clinging to life. He had to do his best to amplify it just like he had with Miltia.

For long seconds his hands remained on her. For long seconds his Aura did all it could to heal whatever wounds she had suffered. There did not appear to be any physical changes or improvements in her.

Until her eyes slowly began to flutter.

Until they snapped open.

Her mouth opened.

And she screamed.

With that scream came a terrifying display of power and energy. Gusts of wind and bolts of lightning shattered the glass of the pod around them. Jaune was sent flying back before he could even think about what was happening. Landing on his back, he looked up and saw the swirling debris in the air and the bright illuminating light of the storm she had conjured. It would have been a truly marvelous sight to see if his life had not been in such peril.

As he lay there watching, a single voice cut through the air. "Glynda, get Jaune out of here now!" shouted Ozpin. Looking over to the man, he saw a bright green shield of light surrounding him as he made his way closer to the wounded woman.

Before he could even think to protest, a pair of strong hands lifted Jaune up and to his feet. "Come with me," Glynda urged as she pulled him by the arm after him.

His body and mind were both too stunned to argue. The more primal part of him even agreed that he needed to get out as soon as possible. He couldn't even look back at whatever was going on between Ozpin, Ironwood and that woman before he reached the doors which led from the chamber.

Glynda didn't stop moving once they had escaped the room. She didn't say a word as she led him back through the basement and to the elevator. Jaune didn't say a word either. He had no idea what he had done. He had no idea who that woman was or what kind of Semblance she possessed to give her such power.

All he knew was that he had done his best. And he wanted nothing more than to get out of not just this basement, but Beacon as well.

* * *

She couldn't believe she was back here. She couldn't believe she had been roped into this.

The temperature wasn't cold, but the chill that ran through Melanie's body was the first thing she felt when she had exited from the Bullhead. The crumbling remains of a ruined city surrounded her. Untouched by human hands for a decade. Unvisited by anyone with sanity of a brain.

So what did that make her? What did that make her sister?

She glanced back at Miltia, who at this time was forcing the pilot out of the Bullhead with the tips of her claws. Her sister could be just as ruthless a bitch as she herself was. All she needed was the proper conditions. No amount of playing house with Jaune would ever change that. Survival was ingrained into their psyches just as much as the need for food and water was. Sometimes survival came with forcing others to do something against their will.

Still, the decision prompted her to ask what was going on. "We're taking him with?"

"We need our ride home, don't we?" Miltia replied.

Melanie shrugged, conceding the point. Yeah, after being forcibly taken like he had, the pilot would undoubtedly leave them behind and return home to report what they had done.

Now that she thought about it, would they become wanted by the authorities? Hijacking a Bullhead wasn't exactly a crime that could be overlooked. Then again they _had_ given them Ruby and Yang's names. Even if it would be sorted out in short order, the thought of them being taken into custody was an amusing one.

The humor was quick to leave her body as her bladed heels crunched along the broken and ruined pavement that once made up Mountain Glenn's streets. The combination of destruction by Grimm and neglect had made the roads unsuitable for any sort of vehicular traffic. They may as well have been walking along some graveled path. A tough prospect for anyone, and doubly so for those in heels.

This hadn't exactly been her idea, so Melanie looked over to her sister for direction. "So what do we do now?"

To her displeasure, Miltia shrugged. "I dunno. Take it in. Remember what happened here. Just... get over it."

Get over it. Easy for her to say. Did she even know what that meant? Did she even know how to do it? It wasn't as if there was just a magical button they could push and get over the trauma of their parents dying and their home being destroyed.

Melanie sighed. "Whatever." She turned to look at their hostage. "Come on, pilot boy. Let's get moving."

Everything around her looked the same. Drab. Gray. Broken. Melanie couldn't remember much about her life here prior to its destruction. She didn't remember what street she lived on. She could barely even remember what the outside of her home looked like. For all she knew she could have been standing mere feet away from it right now. But she would never know. Every dilapidated structure looked liked the one next to it. And there was no one she could ask either. Her parents were dead. Outside of a few specific events and memories she could recall, her childhood here might as well have been a mystery to her.

Her jaw clenched as they went in deeper. Why were they even here? This was stupid. Bringing back all these images wouldn't do shit to help her. All she could remember was the night her world had nearly ended. All she could remember was being forced onto the train by her parents as they told her they would be on the next one. But there was no next one. The train that she and Miltia boarded had been the last one before the tunnels had been overrun by the Grimm.

With those memories came pain. With them came fear. Melanie blinked hard to fight away the tears which were forming in her eyes. She hated this place. She hated the way it made her feel. She hated how weak and helpless she felt in this moment, as if she was still that crying little girl who had been rescued by Junior. She was stronger than this, damn it! Why did she have to be reminded of who she used to be?

She flinched when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned to see Miltia next to her. "Hey," she smiled sadly.

"Shut up," she snapped. "I wasn't crying."

"I know."

Melanie knew that was a lie. And she knew that Miltia knew it was a lie too. All too often their Semblances betrayed them. Miltia had sensed the deep, powerful sorrow in her heart and come over to comfort her. She both hated and loved the girl for that.

"You feeling okay?" Miltia asked, already knowing the answer.

 _No._ "I'm fine." It was a lie to convince herself of the fact more than her sister.

"You can let it all out if you need to," Miltia continued. Her own eyes were glistening as she too seemed on the brink of tears. "No one's here except us."

And the pilot. But it's not like he would care. It wasn't as if his opinion even mattered.

"Fuck..." Melanie breathed. Everything inside of her told her that she would feel better if she let her emotions spill out. A lifetime of suppressing them and squashing them under the powerful influence of alcohol worked against that instinct, however. "I just... I miss them," she continued. Her voice cracked with the last word. "Why couldn't they have come with us?"

"Because they loved us," that soft and knowing voice of her sister told her.

"Then they should have made more room!" she insisted. "They made room for us! Why wasn't there enough for two more people?"

"I don't think there was room for us," Miltia argued. "Dad _made_ room for us."

The thought of their dad doing anything and everything within his power to make sure his girls survived only made the tears in her eyes sting all the more. "Fucking..." she cursed. Hearing the words aloud only made things worse. Hearing how much her parents loved her, hearing that they had died for them, only made her miss them more. "I fucking hate this place."

"I know. Me too. But like, we have to face it. We have to put it behind us."

"How? How am I supposed to do that?"

"Maybe like this," Miltia said as she pulled her into a hug. "By not trying to forget. By remembering everything. And being okay with it."

Being okay with it? Being okay that their parents were dead? That they had died for the sake of their children? How could any parent expect their child to understand that? How could they expect their child to be okay with that? It was perhaps the most paradoxical thing Melanie could ever imagine. It was the most selfless, and at the same time the most selfish act she could think of. To save your children's world at the cost of their world.

"They loved us," Miltia said again as she held Melanie tight. "They did what they did for us. So maybe, like, we just have to remember them like that. Don't think about everything we lost. Think about everything they gave us."

Melanie's fists clenched down on her sister's clothes as she held her tighter. The tears flowed freely now. Her face buried into the younger twin's shoulder. She remained like that for long seconds before pulling away. She looked into the twin mirrors of Miltia's own liquid-green eyes. "When did you get so fucking smart?"

Miltia smiled at her. "I always said you were the dumb one."

Melanie couldn't help but smile back. "Oh fuck off."

A moment later Miltia took her by the hand and led her over to one of the ruined homes. "Come on. Let's go say hi."

Blinking through her tears, Melanie looked up at the hollow shell of a house. "Was this one ours?"

She received a shrug in return. "Dunno. But does it matter?"

It didn't, she supposed. Miltia obviously had a plan here. She might as well go along with it. A quick look back at the pilot showed that he was standing idly by a few feet away. Close enough that he wasn't a flight risk, but far enough that he couldn't hear the soft-spoken details of the conversation.

Standing before the blank grey walls, Miltia looked up at what was probably once a vibrant home. "Hey, mom. Hey, dad. It's Miltia. I know you guys always had a little trouble telling the two of us apart when we were little. It's why I started cutting my hair and all." Her hand rose and ran through its short black length. She seemed to choke on her words for a moment before continuing. "I just wanna let you know... we know why you did what you did. We didn't back then, and it hurt a lot. But now we know you did it for us." Her arm came up to wipe her eyes. "Because you love us. And you wanted us to survive. I think you'd be proud to know that we're survivors. It's not always fun or pretty, but we're still here. And we're doing the stuff you said." Her gaze turned to Melanie. "We're looking out for each other. Mel's such a troublemaker, but I always have her back. And I always will, because I love her. And I love you both too. Thank you for loving us enough to do what you did."

It was taking everything Melanie had to keep from breaking down right there. Since when had Miltia become such a poet? Since when did she wear her heart on her sleeve like that? She was supposed to be the quiet one.

She felt a hand on her shoulder. "Mel, you wanna say anything to mom and dad?"

The logical part of her brain told her that what Miltia was saying made no sense. Their parents weren't here. If there was some sort of afterlife, and they could hear what their daughters were saying, then hearing it wouldn't be restricted just to Mountain Glenn. But... there was something about being here that really did seem like closure. Talking to them here and now seemed right.

Even so, she was having trouble coming up with anything to say. Melanie shook her head, the tears running down her cheeks as she did. "I can't."

The hand on her shoulder moved to her back, and Miltia pulled her into a tight embrace. Her lips came close to her sister's ear. "Just tell them you love them."

Nodding against her sister's chest, Melanie quickly broke away and looked down to the filthy, broken street. She took a deep, shuddering breath before finally speaking those words. "I love you, mom and dad."

She didn't know why the words made her feel so good. Deep in her heart she had always loved her parents. However, she could not recall the last time she had ever uttered the words aloud. She could not remember the time she had actually thought about Mountain Glenn to even acknowledge the loss. Every time those emotions became too strong she had turned to the bottle in order to snuff them out. Perhaps there was something to be said about confronting your fears and losses.

Melanie brushed a hand through her long locks, clearing it from her face before wiping her own eyes. Her own words had been painfully short compared to Miltia's. It was a stunning reality that she had to acknowledge. "When the fuck did you become the talkative one?"

Her question was met by a soft giggle. "I dunno."

"Whatever. So what's next?"

Miltia was about to speak when a horrifying noise sounded in the air. One completely unfamiliar to both girl's ears. A primal, bestial sound that sent shivers down their spines.

Turning to the source, Melanie's eyes widened when she saw the terrifying black and white form of a Beowolf stalking toward them. "Fucking shit..." she whispered harshly.

She had not seen one of the creatures since the fall of Mountain Glenn. Even then, her memories of them were nothing but twisted shadows of darkness which haunted her nightmares. Living safely behind the walls of Vale, she never expected to see one again. One thing about them was unforgettable, however. Those glowing, baleful red eyes which glowed even in the early morning light.

Her fists clenched as adrenaline coursed through her body. Every instinct told her to run. And yet, she could not outrun a Beowolf. Neither could Miltia. And using the pilot as bait while they ran was out of the question since they would be sacrificing their ride back to Vale. There was only one option. Stay and fight.

As if sensing her intent, Miltia moved to stand side by side with her, claws raised and ready. "Well, I guess we totally found out what's next," she joked sardonically.

Melanie would have laughed if not for the horrific situation they found themselves in. "Plan?" she asked simply.

"You go low and I go high?"

One of their classic double-team strategies. Melanie would strike low with her legs while Miltia attacked high with her claws. It worked well against human opponents. Neither had ever faced down a creature of Grimm before.

Still, it was their best bet. "Read my mind, baby sis." It was more than just a turn of phrase. For the two of them it was all but reality.

Yellow-white fangs dripped with something resembling saliva as the Beowolf growled. Hateful eyes switched back and forth between the two, as if it could not decide who would be its first target. The twins would not give it a chance to pick.

Dashing forward as if they were one, Melanie and Miltia briefly split apart to divide the beast's attention. Melanie dashed left while Miltia went right, and would meet again in the middle to deliver their signature strike.

Her heart was racing as she turned to attack the Beowolf from its side. This was suicide. That was the only thought going through Melanie's mind. This was a Grimm. A fucking Grimm. And she was running right at it. What madness was this? They weren't fucking huntresses. How could she or Miltia possibly think this was a good idea?

As she closed in, the creature's head whipped around to face her and bared its teeth. Fear gripped Melanie's mind and body, and she hesitated. Her feet skidded across concrete before her bladed heels could connect, but it was not her that suffered the consequences of her fear. Miltia's attack struck home, but instead of being a part of a combined attack, she was alone. The Beowolf howled in pain as a pair of wrist-mounted claws slashed into its hide, but it retaliated quickly and swiped the red-clad girl away with its own monstrous claw.

"Miltia!" she shrieked in horror.

Jaune wasn't here. If Miltia was wounded... she was done for. Absolute terror seized her heart as she ran over to where Miltia had been knocked back nearly twenty feet. Grabbing hold of her sister's back, she lifted the girl slightly as she checked for injuries. "Miltia," she repeated. "I'm so sorry. Are you okay? Please tell me you're okay."

With a slice grimace her sister rose under her own power and back to her feet. "I'm fine," she said. "Aura took it."

A wave of relief surged over her, but with that relief came shame. She had froze in her attack, but Miltia had not. She would have loved to blame it on her unusual emotional state with being back here. With talking to her parents. But she knew the truth. She was a coward. She was facing down an opponent the likes of which she had never fought before. It wasn't weaker than her. It didn't fear her. It was a mindless beast with one purpose in its existence. To destroy. To destroy humanity. To destroy her parents. To destroy her.

This monster was terrifying. How did huntsmen and huntresses fight these creatures on a regular basis? How did they keep it together in the face of such horrors?

"Try again," Miltia said as she readied her blades once more.

How was she so brave? How was she so calm right now? Had Jaune's little hero complex worked its way into her through exposure? Through his Semblance when he saved her life? ...Through sex? In any case, seeing such a strong and determined side of her sister filled Melanie with much needed confidence.

"Okay," Melanie breathed. "I won't fuck up this time."

"I know you won't."

With Miltia's words filling her with resolve, the two once more split apart and prepared to hit the Beowolf from two sides at the same time.

Melanie didn't freeze this time as she went in low, kicking at the legs of the beast with bladed heels. At the same time Miltia came from above, slashing and stabbing at its torso. The combination of attacks from both sides forced the Beowolf to become unbalanced and it collapsed onto its side under the barrage of blade strikes.

A normal human opponent would have been finished by the assault, but not this monster. No, it was still alive, or at least as alive as a Grimm could be. Neither girl wasted and time in following up their attack on the prone an helpless thing. Hands and feet rose and fell over and over again, like something out of a horror movie, as the Beowolf was gutted over and over again by falling blades. Howls of pain and fury resonated in their ears as the creature squirmed beneath them until finally it moved no more. It lay there dead, penetrated dozens of times by their weapons.

Breaths came out in ragged gasps as Melanie stared down at the disintegrating Grimm. That vile and disgusting beast. A monster which if not for them may have been responsible for the deaths of others.

Looking over to Miltia, she saw how the girl also stared down wide-eyed at the remains of the Beowolf. She may not have shown it physically, but there was fear in her heart as well. Melanie could sense it.

She grabbed Miltia by the hand. "Let's get the fuck outta here right now."

Miltia nodded. "Yeah."

Looking back in the direction they had come, they expected to see the pilot standing there waiting for them. He was nowhere to be seen.

"What the- where's the fucking pilot?"

Miltia was busy looking around as well for any sign of him. "Fuck," she breathed. "I think he took off during the fight."

Panic gripped her once more. No. That couldn't be true. He wouldn't have left them to face the Beowolf alone. He wouldn't have left them trapped in Mountain Glenn with no way out. Right?

No. That's exactly what he would have done. He had been kidnapped at blade-point. Melanie probably would have done the same if given a distraction to escape.

"Fuck!" she screamed. "What the fuck are we gonna do now?"

There was no way out. They couldn't very well walk back to Vale. Not through unprotected and uncharted territory. Did they even know which way Vale was?

Melanie gripped her head in her hands. "Fuck," she repeated. "Fuck!"

"Stay calm," Miltia said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Calm? How the fuck am I supposed to be calm after that?" she shouted. "After our fucking ride just ditched us?"

"I don't know!" her sister shouted back. "But standing here yelling won't help!"

Melanie knew she was right. But still... it was easier to be angry than it was to be logical. It was easier to be violent than to sort things out verbally.

But right here and now she had no outlet but her sister. She had no one to blame but Miltia.

And despite the fact that it had been Miltia's idea to come out here, she would never do such a thing to the girl.

"Okay," she breathed, closing her eyes as she did so. "What do we do?"

"Let's just... I don't know. Sit down for a minute, think things through. There's gotta be a way back to Vale, right? Like the tunnels or something?"

Melanie's heart skipped a beat. The tunnels. The last place they had ever seen their parents alive as they boarded a train to take them back to Vale.

They would indeed be confronting their fears today. They would be facing every single deep and dark detail of the events from ten years prior.

* * *

Jaune couldn't explain what he had just done. Or what had just happened. That was okay, however. He didn't want to know. Glynda told him he didn't need to know either. The huntress who he had attempted to use his Semblance on had just reacted poorly to waking up after suffering such a grievous injury.

Sure. Why not.

Whipping out his scroll on his way back to the guest dormitory, Jaune wanted to see what the twins were up to. He hadn't heard from them all day. They hadn't even been present when he had woken up in the morning. Presumably they had gone off to do their own thing. Maybe some training. Or maybe they had snuck off to Vale again in order to secure some more... birth control. He wasn't about to ask questions about that either.

That was fine, however. It wasn't as if he didn't already have plans of his owns for today. Helping out Ozpin. Saving a life. At least he thought he did. The woman was alive and well after her Aura had been amplified by his own. Supercharged, by the look of it. He really hoped that Ozpin and Ironwood were okay. But if they weren't surely something would have happened by now, right? The people in charge must have known what they were doing. The headmasters of Beacon and Atlas academies weren't incompetent.

Finding Miltia's name in his contacts, Jaune called her. After the first few rings he glanced down at the scroll with a frown. When it went to her voicemail he left a short message inquiring about where she was.

It wasn't like her not to take his call.

Next was Melanie. Again, he got her voicemail. This time he just hung up. Something didn't seem right about this.

He was about to try Ruby, but then remembered that she and her team were out on some sort of Beacon field trip mission thing today. Disturbing her right now would probably not be the best idea.

When he reached his room, it dawned upon him that all he could really do was wait. That was, until he noticed a piece of paper on the desk that he had not seen in his sleepy early morning haze.

Grabbing it, Jaune realized it was a message from Miltia. At least it would explain where she had gone and probably why she wasn't answering.

And it did. At least until he read a very specific and odd portion of the note.

"Going to see their parents...?" he asked himself.

Jaune recalled a conversation he had with Junior a number of weeks ago. Miltia and Melanie's parents were dead. They had been killed at Mountain Glenn.

They were going to see their parents.

The true meaning of the note hit home.

They were going to Mountain Glenn. Alone. How they had gotten there didn't really matter to him right now. He just knew that he had to do something.

Grabbing hold of his scroll again, there was one more number he knew he could call. That person would not only be able to confirm his suspicions, but he would be able to know what to do next.


	28. Chapter 28

It felt like they had been walking for hours. In heels. Miltia's feet were killing her.

But it was not her feet which were causing her the most pain.

All around her were memories. Ones she could not even remember. That did little to dampen the pain, however. She had been in such high spirits earlier. Before the Beowolf attack. Before their pilot-turned-hostage had abandoned them. With no way out but to walk, they had to press forward. Their scrolls had no signal this far out from the kingdom. Calling Jaune or even Junior was not an option. They were on their own. No one was coming to save them.

Truth be told, Miltia was terrified. She did her best to suppress the feelings of fear, however. She did not want Melanie to feel it. More importantly, she did not want to attract any more Grimm. Those monsters were a part of everyday life, and even someone such as herself who had little to no exposure to them knew the basics. Grimm were attracted to negativity. Hate. Envy. Fear. Right now there was so much to be scared of, and not nearly enough reassurances that they would make it out of this alive. Fear wasn't the only thing gnawing away on Miltia's insides. Regret permeated her entire being.

It would have been different had the pilot still been here. He had been their lifeline. Their way out. Being stranded changed everything. Worst of all, it was not just Miltia who would suffer for her mistake. She had dragged Melanie along with her.

A part of her wondered if going to the tunnels was even a good idea at all. She had no idea how far it was back to Vale. Was it even walking distance? How long would it take? Could they sleep? They had no food or water. Maybe they should be scavenging the ruined homes to try to find something edible. Anything would do. Canned or bottled goods might still be in good shape ten years later. It was certainly a better alternative than starvation.

Miltia shook her head. No. She had to stay positive. She had to stop assuming the worst possible outcome. But at the same time, how could she? She wasn't stupid. She knew the utterly horrible situation they were in. How little a chance of survival there was. What could she do? What could she say?

Well, there was one thing she could say.

"Mel," she spoke softly.

The girl beside her turned her head. "Yeah?"

"I'm sorry."

Those two simple words had barely escaped her mouth before she choked on them. Miltia was on the verge of tears. Try as she might, she could not stop blaming herself for this. It had been her idea. She had brought Melanie with her. And now they were both going to die.

"It's okay," Melanie said, not quite sounding like she believed the words herself.

The denial only made Miltia even more upset. "It's not okay!" she insisted. "This was a mistake! It was my fault!" She shook her head as a pair of tears trailed down her cheeks. "I fucked up, Melanie. I'm sorry."

"Yeah? Well I came too." Her gaze lowered to the drab, grey cement as she walked. "You wouldn't have gone if I hadn't too. Maybe I thought this was a good idea too."

"I'm supposed to be the responsible one," Miltia said bitterly. The tears slowed as she said the words, her fists clenching in anger. Anger replaced her sadness in that moment. "I'm supposed to look out for you. I had one fucking job in my life and I blew it."

After Mountain Glenn, each of the girl's trauma had manifested differently. While Melanie sought to control those around her so she would never be hurt again, Miltia sought to protect those she loved. So she would never lose anyone again. Melanie was the one person in life she would do anything for. She would lie, steal, or even kill in order to protect her twin sister. It was ironic then that it was her own actions, and not those of another, which would lead to Melanie's death.

She was shaken from her thoughts from the touch of her sister, as Melanie placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's gonna be okay."

More denial. Miltia shook her head in frustration. "How? How can you even say that right now? Look around, Melanie. This is like, the end of the fucking world out here. We don't even have scroll reception."

"We're gonna get through this."

Frustration turned to disbelief. "How? What the fuck are we-"

"Because I said so!" Melanie shouted. "I don't fucking know how! I don't know what we're gonna do! All I know is that you and me are gonna survive this! Got it?"

Miltia was taken aback by the sudden outburst. She had no idea what was making Melanie so confident. She didn't know why the girl was suddenly so optimistic. However, at least she was being honest about it. Melanie didn't have a plan. She didn't have an explanation for her feelings. She merely had blind optimism, and she wanted Miltia to share in it.

"Why?" was all Miltia could think to ask.

Melanie looked down once more. It took a few seconds for her to respond this time. Her tone was softer when she did. "Because I want you to be able to rely on me for a change."

Once more her words were genuine. There was no arrogant front that the girl liked to put up. It was raw and real emotion. A feeling of hurt accompanied the words. Longing. Regret. Such sentiments were rare from the girl who liked to party and drink herself into unconsciousness.

"Melanie..."

"No!" the girl in white continued. "I'm serious! For once in our lives I wanna be the big sister I've never been. You've always been there for me, but when have I ever been there for you? You've always cleaned up my messes, and now it's time for me to clean up yours."

Miltia was once more shocked by the display of emotion. She had no idea Melanie felt this way. The undeniable truth of their sibling relationship was that Miltia was always there to bail out and protect Melanie from her problems. Problems usually as a result of drinking or picking fights with strangers. She always had her sister's back, and she knew that Melanie always had hers. But this was the first time she could remember Melanie actually flat out saying that she did. Normally Miltia did not do anything that required being rescued from.

What a time to pick for the first.

"This fucking sucks. I get it," Melanie continued. "But we're gonna get through it, okay? We've been through this before. We didn't have weapons or Hei's training back then. But we totally do now. We have each other. And there's nothing we can't do when we're together."

The speech would have been inspirational had it come from anyone else's mouth. Hearing the words from Melanie of all people made Miltia want to laugh. Not because they were bad, but because it was just so absurd to have them come through her lips.

Miltia laughed bitterly, unable to fully give into humor in a moment like this. "You're never gonna let me live down that you were born a few minutes earlier, are you?"

Her sister smiled, and it was contagious. "Nope. Now keep walking. Big sister's orders."

A part of Miltia wanted to stop right there and there just out of protest. Maybe had the situation been a less dire one, she would have. However, being so petty in this moment over something so stupid could be a death sentence. Who knew how many Grimm were still around?

Grimm. She could still hardly believe that she and her sister had taken on a Beowolf head to head. Harder still to believe that they had won. That monstrous creature had been utterly terrifying. Fur as black as the night's sky. Bone-white armor plates protruding from its body. Hateful glowing red eyes. It was the stuff of nightmares.

The stuff of her nightmares.

By the gods. She might have to sleep in this place tonight. There would be nothing or no one to keep the nightmares at bay.

This was what huntsmen had to go through every day. Fighting a Beowolf, or an entire pack of the creatures, was just a normal everyday occurrence for them. Something that was dealt with considerable ease. It showed just how weak they were in comparison. It showed how cowardly they were. The two of them had struggled to take on a single one of those monsters together.

It was merely further proof of the gap in skill between them and someone like Yang. Not that they needed any more proof of that after the nightclub incident, that was.

This was the kind of thing that Yang or Ruby did on a regular basis. They would have probably defeated the Beowolf with one shot. They probably wouldn't have even batted an eye. And yet she and Melanie had nearly been frozen in place with fear. Miltia had to admit that maybe huntsmen were a lot braver than she had originally given them credit for. If this was a job they chose to undertake willingly, then maybe they needed to reevaluate their thinking on those in the profession.

Maybe they weren't entirely to blame for the fate of Mountain Glenn. She wondered if Melanie felt the same way now.

"Hey, Mel?"

"What's up?"

"You know Ruby?"

The elder girl snorted softly. "Duh. What about her?"

Miltia looked off, slightly embarrassed by the phrasing of her question. Of course Melanie knew Ruby. "I dunno. You ever think about her? What she does?"

From her periphery she could see that Melanie had turned a questioning gaze on her. "Why would I think about her?"

A small smile formed on Miltia's face. "Well you did kiss her, but that's not what I meant. Like, huntresses and stuff."

"Tch. Huntresses." The displeasure which the elder twin spoke the word revealed that she must not have had the same reconsideration that Miltia did. Not that the girl could blame her either. It would take Melanie far more than one encounter with a creature of Grimm to overcome a lifetime of resentment and anger.

Miltia remained silent for a few seconds before continuing. "I used to think that too," she said softly. A form formed on her lips as she watched her tall red boots stride across the cement sidewalk. "But... the Beowolf..."

She went silent again, and a few more seconds passed before Melanie finally responded. "Yeah. The Beowolf."

"They do stuff like that all the time. Fight them and stuff. Like, now that we know, does it make you think about them any differently?"

It certainly made Miltia look at Ruby and her friends in a different light. Jaune as well. He had once aspired to become a huntsman as well. Willingly. They all had. If someone like Jaune wanted to do it, maybe it really was a noble aspiration after all.

"Maybe we were wrong," Miltia continued. There was a noticeable silence coming from her normally boisterous sister. Someone needed to fill the space. Miltia was the only option available. "Hei saved us, and he was a huntsman. Jaune was gonna be a huntsman when he came into the club the night Yang... did her thing. He helped us. And even Ruby isn't so bad, right? Maybe there are good huntsmen and bad huntsmen. You know?"

Miltia thought it was a pretty good argument. Just like any other people out in the world, there were good ones and bad ones. Even some of Junior's mooks had families and loved ones of their own. When they weren't on the clock, they were just every day, normal people. No super powers or crazy weapons. Just men.

"I dunno," Melanie finally said. "Maybe."

Maybe was better than no. That was a win in Miltia's book.

"Yeah," Miltia agreed. "Maybe."

She decided she wouldn't push any further. She had caused enough trouble today already.

Suddenly her head whipped around to the sound of gunshots. Green eyes widened, and her heart rate spiked in alarm.

Someone was here. In Mountain Glenn.

A look over to Melanie revealed that she had heard them too. Her reaction on the other hand was far more composed than her younger twin's. To her surprise, Melanie began walking toward the sound.

Miltia grabbed hold of her wrist, stopping the girl in her tracks. "Mel? What are you doing?"

"People," the girl explained.

"People with guns."

"Yeah. But still. _People_."

It took a moment, but Miltia caught on. Normally people did not run toward gunfire. However, Grimm did not use guns. In this case, being stranded here in Mountain Glenn, anything was better than Grimm. At least they knew how to deal with potentially hostile people.

Miltia nodded and let go of her sister's arm. "Yeah. Right."

Melanie motioned with her head for her to follow. "Come on. We sneak up on them. Worst case scenario they have a Bullhead we can take back to Vale."

"You can't fly a bullhead."

A sly, confident smirk formed on Melanie's lips. "We're about to find out."

Without waiting Melanie started walking. A moment later Miltia was by her side. The girl was right. Anything was better than their current situation. Even Melanie crash-landing a Bullhead somewhere back near human civilization.

* * *

He didn't want to push his luck, but he was thankful that his motion sickness wasn't acting up right now.

Maybe it was the seriousness of the situation. If that was the case, he thanked his body for recognizing what his mind and his heart did. The twins were missing. _Miltia_ was missing. It hadn't taken long to find out where they had gone. Or why.

Sitting across from the man who he had called for aid, Jaune felt a different sort of nausea overtaking his body. One filled with worry. Alone in an abandoned Valean colony was his girlfriend and her sister. A place potentially teeming with Grimm. Or outlaws. Or who knows what else.

He only hoped he wasn't too late.

The girls had not been there when he had woken up. It was already the middle of the afternoon. That was far too many hours of them being away for his liking. Far too much time for something bad to have happened. He had to keep reassuring himself they would be alive. _She_ would be alive. He had to keep running the scenarios through his head on what he would do when he did indeed find her safe and sound. He was torn between screaming at her and giving her the tightest hug he had ever given.

"Keep it together, kid." a gruff voice sounded, breaking the silence in the ship.

Jaune looked up to see Junior. A weapon resembling a massive metal bat rested in his lap.

"I am," Jaune insisted. "Don't worry."

Junior motioned forward with his head, his eyes looking down at Jaune's lap where his hands rested.

Or rather, where his clenched fists rested.

He hadn't even realized he had been doing it. Jaune relaxed his hands, flexing his fingers a few times before letting them fall back down to rest upon his lap.

Silence once again filled the ship. They were the only two passengers. He had no idea who was piloting the craft. Was it even a public ship? He couldn't say. Junior had shown up in it when Jaune had called and explained the situation to him. While it hadn't taken too long for the man to show up in the grand scene of things, it was still far too long for Jaune's liking. Every minute they delayed was another minute the girls could get killed. However, he knew that Junior had done his best. These were his girls. Jaune could never downplay their importance to the club owner.

"You brought your sword," the man said, once again provoking a conversation. It was unusual for Junior of all people to do that. He wasn't normally a man who liked idle chit-chat.

Jaune looked down to his left hip where Crocea Mors hung loosely from one of his belts. The boy shrugged as he replied. "Yeah. I had to. If Mi- if the girls got hurt... or worse, because I didn't go all out, I'd never forgive myself."

He hadn't swung his sword since the night of the docks. Since the night he had plunged its steel into the flesh of that terrorist. The events of that night still haunted him. The nightmares didn't come when he slept with Miltia, but in his waking hours he still felt the guilt which came with his deed. Terrorist or not, he had taken another man's life.

Yet on this day none of that mattered. Not when people he cared about were in danger. This was different from the docks. This wasn't him going out looking for trouble. This was him looking to prevent it. Looking to save a life. Two lives.

"That's good," Junior commented.

"Yeah," Jaune agreed.

"You really care about her."

"Of course I do."

The man shook his head. "No. I mean, you _care_ about her. You love her."

Only then did it hit Jaune that Junior had said "her". Not "them". Her. And they both knew that it wasn't Melanie he was talking about.

Jaune looked at Junior's face with new perspective. With new ideas in his mind. With new fear. Here he was with what was essentially Miltia's father. A large, professionally trained huntsman with a weapon. Talking to the boy who his adopted daughter was sleeping with. Surely Junior couldn't know that little bit of information... right?

Jaune swallowed hard, nodding softly before looking off to the side. "Yeah," he confirmed. "I do."

One of Junior's usual grunts sounded in response. Jaune had spent enough time around the man to know it wasn't an angry one.

"How did you know?" the boy asked.

Another grunt. This time... amusement? "Because she loves you. And only a complete moron wouldn't reciprocate feelings for someone as kind and beautiful as Miltia." It felt as though those dark eyes of the man were studying him now, as if searching for any trace of deceit. "And you're not a moron, are you, Jaune?"

Was there some sort of double meaning behind the question? A threat? Like, giving the wrong answer would result in being thrown from the moving Bullhead to make a large, bloody splatter on the ground below?

It was best to just be honest. You could never go wrong with honesty. "No. I... I mean, Melanie told me something once when she was drunk, but I just wrote it off as Melanie being Melanie. I didn't believe someone as amazing as Miltia could actually have feelings for someone like me. It wasn't until she kis-"

Jaune cut himself off, but the damage was done. He couldn't have proven to Junior that he was a moron more than he just did right now. Sure, tell the father of the girl you're dating about how she kissed you and then made love for the first time. That was a brilliant move. Jaune felt as though he was about to take a one way trip down to the open wilderness of the Kingdom of Vale.

Taking a tentative peek back up at Junior, the man had made no move to assault him. There wasn't even a physical reaction on his face. Just that same impassive look that appeared to have been carved from stone. If the fact that Miltia had kissed the blonde boy bothered him, it did not show.

"Drunk," Junior merely echoed. "Figures." His expression finally changed, the slightest hint of a smirk forming on his face as he looked off into the distance. "Miltia drinks too sometimes. Even without Melanie. It's how I found out myself. That she cared about you that way. You wanna know what she said about you that night?"

Truth be told, Jaune was kind of curious. He didn't think it would be too big an invasion of Miltia's privacy if Junior was willing to tell him. The man had the best interests of his girls at heart. So surely this information would only help, right?

"Sure."

"She said you were normal."

That wasn't exactly what Jaune had been expecting nor hoping to hear. In fact, it didn't sound flattering in the slightest. "Is that supposed to be an insult?" he wondered.

Junior shook his head. "No. It isn't. Normal's good in this case. Not that normal's ever a bad thing. Normal is normal. But here, and for Miltia, normal is everything she's not. That her life's not. You're everything that isn't what this rough life is all about, Jaune."

When put like that, it made sense. He had to remind himself who Miltia was. She was a fighter. An enforcer. She and Melanie worked for a crime boss, and they did the acts that came with the territory. They extorted lien from local businesses. They fought against other local gangs for a plethora of different reasons. Even civilians like Tukson were fair game when the situation called for it. Not that Tukson had turned out to be an ordinary civilian, but Jaune had no doubt in his mind that the twins had roughed up their share of normal people.

And then he had walked into their lives. A boy with big dreams and aspirations, but nothing truly remarkable about him.

That was what Miltia liked about him, wasn't it? That he was just so... normal.

Jaune didn't know how to even respond to that. Maybe he didn't need to. Maybe the sudden feeling of warmth and happiness that filled his body did all the talking for him.

"You've seen both worlds now," Junior continued. "You've lived both. The hero and the villain. The huntsman and the criminal. Beacon and my club. Which do you want?"

If he had to choose between them, Jaune honestly did not know which one he would pick. Both had their upsides. Both had their downsides. In reality, he didn't want either of them. Like Junior had said, he had lived both. He had attended Beacon. He had attended classes and trained as an aspiring huntsman. He had also gone out with the girls performing all kinds of criminal activities. No, he didn't want either. Luckily there was a third option.

"Neither," Jaune answered. He looked up to see if it was the correct one, but once more Junior did not reveal his emotions.

"Neither?"

"Yeah. I just... I want a normal life, I guess."

An unexpected laugh burst from Junior's mouth. It died as quickly as it sounded, leaving Jaune to wonder if it had slipped out unintentionally. "Normal," he echoed. "You sure you're not just telling me what I want to hear, kid?"

Jaune shook his head. "No. I don't want either. I wanted to be a huntsman once. And I worked for you for a place to stay while I got my life figured out. But so much has happened since then. And like you said, I've seen both worlds. I've seen all the good and bad that comes with it. And... I guess I just want something normal. Something where the good is still good, and the bad doesn't mean people getting killed."

To Jaune such an explanation made sense. Normal people didn't realize how good they had it. The tales of huntsmen were romanticized to the point that it made young men like Jaune want to do that for a living. To be the hero. To live up to the lofty expectations he had set for himself. And sure, if he succeeded, he could have been a renowned hero. He could have gone off to live a life of adventure and excitement.

But if he failed, he would die. Those around him would die. The people he cared for would die.

Like Miltia nearly had.

Like she still could today.

"Good," Junior told him. There was no trace of sarcasm in his voice. Only a genuine feeling of happiness. "When all this is done, I want you to do something for me. Okay?"

"What's that?"

"I want you to go find a new job."

Jaune blinked a few times, feeling an unusual cold feeling in his stomach. "Wait, what? You're firing me?"

"You're damn right I am. I want you to get your ass out of my club and find another job. Something normal. I don't care what it is. Open up your own bakery for all I care. Anything. Somewhere my baby girl can be safe and happy."

Jaune's mouth opened once, but no words came out. On the second try he was able to formulate words. "What?"

"A normal life," Junior explained. "That's what you want. That's what she wants. So if you love her, I want you to get her out of this shithole she's been living in the past eight years and make her happy."

Was that... his blessing? His approval for the two of them dating? And more?

Jaune nodded. "Y-yeah. Of course. I mean, if she's willing."

"She will. I've seen the way she looks at you. I've heard how she talks about you. She'll choose you over the club. Trust me."

The boy didn't really know what to say. This was all so sudden. Sure, it wasn't as if Junior was trying to force him into marrying the girl, but he was being abundantly clear that he did in fact approve of the relationship. That Jaune was a good man in his eyes.

"Do you know what the biggest dream of any parent is, Jaune?"

The words snapped the boy from his thoughts. "Uh... no. I don't."

"To see their children be happy. I don't have any actual kids of my own, but you remember the story I told you about Mountain Glenn, right?" Jaune nodded, prompting the man to continue. "Melanie and Miltiades became my children that day, and I love them both dearly. I trained them so that they'd be able to take care of themselves. So that they'd be able to beat anything this cruel fucking world would be able to throw at them. I wanted them to both be survivors, because the world wasn't going to care about them or their happiness. You gotta look after yourself and your own. By any means necessary."

Junior had certainly done that. They were both capable fighters who were able to stand toe to toe with aspiring huntsmen students. Maybe not the prodigies like Yang or Ruby, but both were still more than capable of taking care of themselves.

"But I want more than that for them," he continued. "They're still young. Only eighteen. They have their whole lives ahead of them. And now that they're prepared for the worst, I want them to go out and find what makes them happy. Melanie isn't quite there yet, but Miltia is. She's found something that makes her happy." He pointed a finger over to Jaune. "So make her happy. Okay, kid?"

Talk about pressure. Jaune ran a hand through his hair. He never had any intention of anything less than making Miltia happy. Since the start of their relationship he had never felt anything less than complete and utter care for the girl. After all, she had been the one to wake his Semblance.

"Yeah," he nodded. "I will. I do."

"Good."

A sudden third voice from the Bullhead's intercom sounded. "Approaching the target zone," the pilot announced. "Estimated landing in five minutes."

They were here already? Time certainly flew by when having a deep and heavy conversation. Jaune looked down, double checking that he indeed did have all of his armor and equipment properly strapped in place.

Once he was satisfied he looked back up at Junior, who merely ran a hand across the barrel of his bat. The man spoke with a dark indifference which did not reflect the care he felt for his girls. "You ready, Jaune?"

The boy nodded once more. "Yeah."

Junior grunted. "This is what being a huntsman is all about," he said. "Looks like you'll get a chance to live your dream once after all before riding off to live that nice, normal sunset of yours."

For not the first time today, Junior was right.

It was a shame that he was finally living his dream under such dire circumstances.

* * *

"Ruby-fucking-Rose?"

"Miss Malachite?"

"Dr. Oobleck?"

"Miltia?"

The quartet of people stood facing each other, each pair as shocked as the other. Of all the people in Remnant to meet out here in Mountain Glenn, Ruby Rose was certainly the last one she had expected.

"What are you girls doing out here?" the teacher asked with unhidden shock and dismay. "Mountain Glenn is extremely dangerous! Why there are Grimm crawling everywhere!"

"We know," Melanie said dryly.

The comment caused Oobleck to do a double take, and Melanie could only imagine his eyes widening behind those strangely non-transparent glasses of his. "You know? Tell me, does that mean you've encountered the Grimm already? Are you injured?"

How thoughtful of him to care. No, they weren't injured. Not physically at least. Their struggles to fell a single Beowolf did wound the girl's pride, however. "Nah. We're good," she said coolly, masking the fear and doubt which had been plaguing her for hours now.

The man breathed a noticeable sigh of relief. "Wonderful. I truly am happy to know you're alright." His head lowered, causing his glasses to tilt forward as well, and his naked eyes peered over them to look menacingly at the girl. "Which brings me back to my original question. What are you two doing out here?"

Melanie shared a glance with her sister before looking back to the man and shrugging lightly. "Field trip?" she asked innocently.

His thin blue eyes narrowed, an unfamiliar look of menace now on the man's usually stoic face. "I see. You do realize that all Beacon class trips were for permanent students only, don't you?"

She glanced at Ruby at the mention of other students, who looked to be a little bit uncomfortable with the situation as a whole. The younger girl was busy studying the laces of her shoes rather than returning Melanie's look.

Whatever. Melanie blinked innocently as she turned back to Oobleck. "Oh. Really?" she asked innocently. "I guess, like, the rules weren't made clear or whatever."

Oobleck breathed a sigh of frustration. He obviously wasn't buying the innocent act. Not that it mattered. They were here now and there was nothing he could do about it. "Regardless, it would appear that you will be present on our mission for its duration," he said with audible resignation. "As both your teacher and a huntsman, I am charged with looking after your safety. You will return to camp with us, and you will stay with us until it is time to return to Beacon. Do I make myself clear?"

Melanie smiled. People like him were so easy. So concerned with doing the right thing that you could do anything you wanted and they'd let you walk all over them. He wasn't about to abandon two people, students or not, in the middle of Mountain Glenn. As far as Melanie was concerned this was the best possible outcome.

"Sure," she responded flippantly. Like she was going to go anywhere now that she had found her and Miltia a rescuer. "Where's the camp thingy anyway?"

"Back over that way," Oobleck said pointing over his shoulder. "Miss Rose and I were simply taking a tour and securing our perimeter. The rest of the team is setting up the camp as we speak."

Rest of the team. Melanie hadn't doubted that the rest of Ruby's team would be here, but hearing it from the man himself caused a spike of anger to flare inside of her. Weiss Schnee and Blake Whatsherface were here too. And of course, the source of her anger, Yang Xiao Long.

"Whatever. Lead the way," she said casually. She would never let him know that she wanted desperately to get back to the camp in order to find some semblance of safety and security.

The only sounds on the trip to Oobleck and Ruby's camp was the crunching of boots on shattered concrete. No one said a word. Not even the normally talkative teacher. Ruby herself was likely too uncomfortable in the presence of the twins. Miltia had reverted to her usual quieter self in the presence of others. It wasn't like she wanted to make an emotional show as she had done earlier in the day. Melanie understood why too. Those emotions were for the sisters alone.

Night was beginning to set on Mountain Glenn, and the glow of a fire up ahead betrayed the position of the camp. Melanie was thankful that they had been found before darkness fell on the place. Being back at Mountain Glenn was nerve-wracking enough. Being stranded with no way out was worse. But then adding the unknown of the darkness on top of it all? That might have been too much to bare.

Upon getting to Team RWBY's camp site, Melanie noted how quiet conversation between the other three girls ceased as soon as their eyes locked on to their returning comrade. And, of course, the two new and unexpected arrivals. Unsurprisingly Yang was the first to speak up.

"What are _they_ doing here," she asked with open disdain. As expected, the girl had not accepted Melanie's hollow apology for what she had done to Ruby.

"The Malachite sisters have seen fit to... participate in official Beacon activities," Oobleck answered. His hesitation made it clear that he didn't buy their excuse. But right now it was the only information he had to go off of. "Until we can arrange for transport back to Beacon, they will be staying with us."

Yang glared at Melanie. "Great." The word dripped with sarcasm.

"Yes, yes, I'm all for wonderful reunions," Oobleck quickly said. Melanie wasn't quite sure if he was genuinely oblivious to the bad blood between the girls, or if he was running interference in order to prevent escalation. "However we have had a busy day, and will have an even busier one tomorrow. I think it's time that we all got some sleep. Do I have a volunteer for first watch?" Ruby meekly raised her hand, not saying a word. "Ah, wonderful, Miss Rose. The rest of you prepare your bags, preferably around the beautiful fire that you've created. Out here among the concrete it will get quite chilly at night."

Bags. Melanie looked around to note how everyone here had a sleeping bag rolled up and off to the side. She and Miltia had not been planning on staying here a night. They had no such equipment. "Uh, Professor Oobleck?"

"Doctor."

Melanie blinked. What an annoying little detail to get hung up over. "Uh, we don't have any bags," she continued, not bothering to correct herself.

Oobleck frowned slightly as he looked back and forth between the twins. His back heaved slightly with a soft sigh. "Of course. Very well. The two of you may share mine," he said, gesturing over to the wall where the other bags were resting. "It should be large enough that the two of you will fit inside together.

Melanie was no stranger to sharing a bed with her sister. Especially when they had been younger, it wasn't uncommon for siblings to sleep in the same bed when space was at a premium. However now at eighteen years of age, it did seem a little bit embarrassing. Especially in the presence of these other girls. Unfortunately it didn't seem like they had much of a choice. Neither one wanted to sleep on the cold and filthy ground.

"What about you?" Miltia asked, speaking for the first time since encountering the man. Typical Miltia. Concerned with the feelings of others.

"I assure you I will survive," Oobleck told her. "As a huntsman I've experienced far worse sleeping conditions than a concrete floor. Why, there was the time I was forced to climb a tree and use a large branch..."

As Oobleck began to recount the details of sleeping in a tree, Melanie recalled something that Miltia had said earlier. _Maybe there are good huntsmen and bad huntsmen._ The kinds of people Melanie normally hung out with wouldn't offer their sleeping bag to someone else out of the goodness of their heart. Sure, a man might have offered it to Melanie in order for her to... share it with him, in more ways than one. But never because he was doing a good deed for a girl in need. No, there was always a catch. Always some form of payment. But not here. Not with Oobleck.

 _Maybe we were wrong._

More of Miltia's words echoed in her mind. _Doctor_ Oobleck seemed to be a decent enough man. A decent enough huntsman. Maybe he would have stood firm in Mountain Glenn's defense. Maybe he would have saved people like her and her sister like Junior had.

Maybe huntsmen weren't so bad after all.

Melanie looked over to the bag once more, it now sitting on its own after the other girls had gathered theirs up. Uncaring of the undoubtedly heroic and unusual story the man was sharing with the group, she went over and retrieved it. Melanie wasn't about to turn her back on the comforts being offered to her by her professor. She knew that Miltia wouldn't either.

She only hoped that tonight would be the first and last night they were forced to sleep here in Mountain Glenn.

* * *

She couldn't sleep. This sucked.

It wasn't that she was uncomfortable or that there was a lack of room. She and Miltia did indeed fit comfortably inside of Oobleck's sleeping bag. He was a tall man, so he needed an extra large bag which he could fit inside. It was fortunate that he was the teacher accompanying Team RWBY rather than someone like Port. Then again, the short and stocky man might have needed his own extra large bag, but for entirely different reasons.

Melanie looked over to her sister. Her eyes were closed. At least she was managing to get some sleep tonight. That was good. She only hoped that the girl wasn't having a nightmare. Being here in this place again might do that sort of thing. And Jaune wasn't here for her.

Jaune. She wondered what he was doing right now. What he was feeling about the disappearance of Miltia. At least they'd left him a note. He'd understand. If he didn't then he didn't deserve to be with someone as incredible as her sister.

Another memory of something Miltia had said crossed her mind. Miltia had said that she loved Jaune. He undoubtedly loved her back. It was a happy, but at the same time somber thought. Would Melanie herself ever find someone like that? Someone who loved her? Someone who could look past her career and her past the way Jaune did for Miltia?

Or did it even matter? Did she even care? Feelings and emotions and attachments just got in the way. They'd just lead to you getting hurt. People sucked. The world sucked. And both of them would betray you and hurt you. Keeping people at a distance and using them until you were tired of them was a tried and proven way of doing things.

She glanced over at Miltia again. At least things were working out for her. She was just built differently, Melanie surmised. Whatever. Good for her. It didn't matter how or why, but all Melanie wanted was for her sister to be happy. If that lovey-dovey crap did the trick, then she was all for it.

Melanie exhaled harshly. She was hot. Two people sharing body heat inside a sleeping bag made things incredibly warm. She needed some fresh air. Maybe a walk to clear her mind. Maybe that'd make her tired and able to fall asleep.

Slipping out of the bag, Melanie put her boots on and quietly strutted around the camp. The earlier talking from the other teens had been silenced long ago. She couldn't make out the exact words, but it sounded as though all three of Ruby's teammates were discussing some heavy shit. Not that she cared about their problems or hopes and dreams. She was just glad they finally shut up.

Her walk took her to a hollowed out building where she saw a familiar black and red form sitting there. The small and admittedly adorable dog that for some reason accompanied them was sitting next to her. Ruby was still diligently keeping watch, her large weapon in hand just in case a stray Grimm decided to walk over.

Maybe talking to the girl would help bore Melanie enough to put her to sleep. It was worth a shot.

The soft thudding of boots must have alerted Ruby to the girl's presence, but to her credit, and probable discomfort, she kept watch on the land outside of their camp. It looked as though Melanie would have to be the one to initiate the conversation. "What's up, little huntress?"

Ruby finally turned to acknowledge the girl. A small, and indeed uncomfortable smile formed on her lips. "Oh. Hey, Melanie. What are you doing here?" Yeah, she was definitely playing like she hadn't heard or seen the girl approach. How adorable.

"Bored. Couldn't sleep. So you can entertain me until I'm tired."

"Uh... sure. Always helps to have company on watch."

"How can you sit there doing nothing like this? Aren't you bored?"

Ruby shrugged. "Not really. Keeping watch is important when you're on a team. It's my job to make sure nothing can sneak up on us and hurt any of my teammates."

 _And yet you didn't hear me coming? Yeah, totally not buying it._ "Ah. More huntsmany shit. Got it."

"It's not... that!" she countered, obviously not wanting to repeat the curse word Melanie had uttered so casually.

Melanie brought her hands up before her chest defensively. "Whoa, chill. I didn't mean like, literally. Huntsmany stuff. Better?"

The younger girl blinked a few times, her silver eyes going wide with recognition. "Oh. Yeah. Sorry."

"Whatever," Melanie said as she took a seat a few feet away from the other girl. Once she might have cared that her beautiful white dress would get filthy. But after that Beowolf fight that was already a foregone conclusion.

Seconds passed with neither saying a thing. A minute. Perhaps two. The silence was deafening, and Melanie knew that Ruby was uncomfortable in her presence. She knew why too. Still, Melanie was bored. And not at all tired. This was better than laying inside a hot sleeping bag waiting in vain for sleep to come.

Finally though, Ruby broke the silence. "So... why are you really here?" she wondered. "You and Miltia."

At least the girl knew that her reason for being out here had been a lie. Maybe she wasn't so naive after all. "Personal reasons," she answered vaguely.

"Oh. What kind of personal reasons?"

Melanie's head tilted, her emerald eyes glaring at the redhead. "Why do you care?"

Ruby's head whirled away, as if she had been caught red-handed doing something wrong. "I dunno. Just making conversation."

Well that was better than awkward silence, at least. "You really wanna know?"

The other girl nodded. "Sure. If... if you wanna tell, that is."

She had no real reason not to tell Ruby. It wasn't as if any of this could be used against her. And Ruby wasn't the type to utilize such information in a harmful way toward her.

So why not?

"Me and Miltia grew up here," she said gesturing around them with an arm. "Mountain Glenn."

Ruby blinked in surprise. "Oh. Really?"

"Mmhmm. Up until around ten years ago."

Surprise quickly turned to realization. Silver eyes widened. Her lips twitched a few times before she finally spoke. "Oh."

So Ruby knew about Mountain Glenn, then. That was the only logical explanation for such a reaction. Melanie wondered if that was something they taught in school, or if someone had told her about the place's history for the purposes of her mission here. Either way, it didn't matter. Ruby knew the implications of what it meant to grow up in Mountain Glenn. And why she had left ten years ago.

"I'm sorry," the girl told her. The words were soft and genuine. Like she actually cared about Melanie's plight. "Did you... lose anyone?"

An oddly personal and bold question. Something that someone with any amount of social tact would probably not have asked. It was obvious that Ruby was lacking in such etiquette. Not that Melanie was any different, of course. Only her attitude came from simply not caring about the feelings of others, rather than naivety.

Melanie couldn't stop the small surge of emotions inside of her as a result of the question. Her teeth sunk into her lower lip gently before she nodded. "Yeah. My parents." She glanced back over in the direction where Miltia was sleeping. "Our parents."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

The older girl looked back to Ruby, who was now sullenly looking down to the ground. Uncaring of other people or not, the last thing she had wanted right now was to actually make Ruby sad.

Melanie shrugged and waved off the concern. "Don't worry about it. It's in the past. We're over it," she lied.

The last line prompted Ruby's head to snap up. "No," she said a bit more forcefully than before. "It's not okay. Don't pretend it's okay. And don't pretend like you're over it either."

It was a surprising amount of emotion from the girl who had only moments before been soft-spoken and meek. "What?"

"My mom died too when I was young," Ruby explained. Her momentary defiance was gone, once more replaced with a soft and gentle voice. "She was a huntress. I was young. Really young. I barely even remember it happening. But... one day she went on a mission. And she never came home."

Melanie looked away from the girl's liquid silver eyes, lest her own begin to well up with tears. Yeah. This was hitting way too close to home. The last thing she had expected to happen in a conversation with Ruby was for stuff like this to come out in the open.

"And it still hurts to this day," she continued. "It'll never stop hurting. And you know what? That's okay. Because it should hurt when you lose someone you love. It means that it was real. The love was real. And there's no replacing someone like that in your life. So you shouldn't bottle it up. You shouldn't deny it. Because in a way... that means that you're denying the person that you love. Like you're trying to forget them so it won't hurt anymore."

"I said I'm fine," Melanie growled.

"I know. But it's also okay not to be. Hypothetically."

It was like that little brat was repeating everything that Miltia had said earlier in the day. It was why they had come back to Mountain Glenn in the first place. To confront their past. To talk to their long-deceased parents. To remember them. Melanie was indeed guilty of trying to force herself to forget her past. To forget her parents. Her drinking habit was proof enough of that.

"Fuck..." she breathed softly, continuing to look away from the other girl. She did not want to show weakness in front of Ruby. At least it wasn't Yang though. Melanie didn't know what she would do if she started crying in front of Yang.

She hadn't even realized that Ruby had stood up and walked a few feet to sit down next to her. Where had that shy and awkward girl gone? "So... yeah. I know what it's like to lose someone you love. Especially at an early age. It's the worst thing imaginable. So if you ever do wanna talk... I'd understand. And it'd just stay between the two of us. I know it's hard to talk about. But it's even harder because you don't want other people to worry about you. But with someone who gets it... it might be easier, right?"

 _And even Ruby isn't so bad, right?_

Melanie shook her head. "Fucking Miltia."

"Huh?"

Wiping her eyes on her shoulder, Melanie looked back over to the girl next to her. "Nothing. Whatever. For what it's worth... thanks."

Ruby smiled genuinely at her. "Yeah. Anytime."

"And... I really am sorry," Melanie said. This time the words were as genuine as Ruby's own. "For what I did at the dance. You're pretty cool, you know that?"

The words forced Ruby to look away this time. In the dim light of the fire it was difficult to read her expression. "Oh. Yeah. It's okay."

It really wasn't. For the first time, Melanie felt bad about her strategy in order to get revenge against Yang. She hadn't seen it before, and maybe this was what Jaune had meant when he got angry with her. Ruby didn't deserve it. Ruby didn't deserve to be a victim caught in the crossfire. Ruby was innocent.

And as she had just said, Ruby was pretty cool. Huntress or not.

The sudden movement of the tiny dog with them prompted both of their attention to him. He trotted off nonchalantly, causing Ruby to stand up and go after him.

"Zwei!" she whispered harshly. "Zwei where are you going?"

Melanie was on her feet as well, following after Ruby. Animals were cool too, and the last thing Melanie wanted was for an adorable little dog to get lost or hurt out here in Mountain Glenn.

"Zwei come back!" Ruby again whispered as they made their way away from the encampment.

It took maybe half a minute of following to catch up with the dog, who had by now found a nice wall. He, now Melanie could see, had lifted his leg and began relieving himself against it.

The two girls caught up with the dog, and Ruby chastised the little thing warmly. "Zwei, this is a wasteland," she chided. "You literally could have done that anywhere."

The sight of the dog doing its thing made Melanie think of something. She really hoped that she wouldn't have to pee until she got back to Vale.

"Come on," Ruby told the critter. "Let's get back."

That worked for Melanie. The sooner they could get back to safety the better. She wouldn't admit it, but being out here away from the safety of their camp gave her the creeps.

Just as they were about to head back, a new voice sent chills down her spine. "What was that?"

A male voice. Not Oobleck's. In an instant Melanie pressed herself up against the wall.

"What was what?" a second voice said.

Her breathing had increased dramatically, but soon enough Melanie forced herself to think. They were people. People were better than Grimm. She could deal with people.

"I thought I heard a Beowolf or something."

A grunt. "Let's just finish our patrol and get back to base."

Seconds ticked away at a glacier's pace. All the while she saw Ruby peering around the corner. That stupid kid was going to get them both caught!

Finally though, Ruby turned back, urging her to follow. Melanie silently held her hands out in frustration, but to no avail. Ruby was on the move.

Melanie followed, unable or unwilling not to.

Her breath caught in her chest. Two White Fang terrorists were walking down the abandoned street, both brandishing rifles. This was bad. This was very bad. And Ruby was following them. Melanie was following her. Who was the bigger idiot, she wondered?

Darting from place to place, Ruby continued tracking them until they entered into a building, the door closing behind them. The redhead turned, grabbing her scroll from a pocket. "This is it!" she whispered excitedly. "The White Fang hideout in the south east!"

Melanie had no idea what she was talking about. Nor did she want to. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

"Ah, stupid scroll," Ruby growled. Much like Melanie and Miltia, Ruby must have had no signal this far outside of the kingdom. "Come on. We gotta go back and tell the others."

Going back was something Melanie could get on board with. Telling the others wouldn't hurt. But... that meant that they would probably be going after the supposed White Fang base that Ruby had just mentioned. And that... that was not good.

The two girls stepped out onto the street. With no need to hug the shadows anymore, getting back to the encampment would be a breeze.

Until the very ground underneath them began to crack. Melanie looked down, seeing a living nightmare below her. Mountain Glenn was falling apart, and she was about to fall with it.

She barely had time to scream before the ground opened up, swallowing both her and Ruby in it.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Well, time for some fun stuff to start happening.

As always, thank you to everyone for your continued support of this story. I hope you enjoyed the chapter.


	29. Chapter 29

Silver eyes opened in shock. She didn't know how long she had been out. It could have been five minutes. It could have been five seconds. All she knew was that she was lying prone on the ground, and her body ached.

Pushing herself to her feet, Ruby looked around. In the dim light provided by a faraway moon, all she could see were various shades of grey. Concrete was all around her. Stalactites hung from the ceiling above. Wait, ceiling? Wasn't she outside?

Memories came flooding back in an instant. She had fallen. That was right. The ground had caved in from underneath her, and she had been swallowed up by the surface of Mountain Glenn. The city she saw around her was a subterranean one. Broken, hollow buildings filled her vision as far as she could see in the darkness. A place long since abandoned by humanity reeked of rot and decay. A stale air filled her lungs, and it along with the concrete dust all around her forced her into a coughing fit that lasted a few seconds.

The sound of a door opening behind her quickly gained her attention. Bright light flooded in, momentarily blinding her. At least, until the two men came charging through.

"Freeze!" one shouted, leveling a rifle in her direction.

Ruby raised a hand over her face to shield it from the burning light. Her eyes would adjust in just a few seconds. Then she would be able to handle these two easily.

"Where did she come from?" the second man asked.

The two armed men, now clearly seen as White Fang members, encroached on her position slowly. Cautiously. Both with guns trained on her position.

"You're a long way from home, little girl."

Little girl? Did they not know who she was? She was Ruby-freaking-Rose, huntress extraordinaire. She had taken on double the number of men before and had come out unscathed. Dispatching these two grunts would be a piece of cake with the help of her faithful friend.

Ruby gasped as she reached down to her hip for Crescent Rose... and felt nothing.

In a panic her hands dared all around her waist, hoping against hope that the fall had merely dislodged it to another location on her belt. Her hopes were dashed, however, when her hands came up empty. She must have lost her weapon in the fall. It could still be up on the surface. Or, it could have fallen even deeper into the cavern. Either way, she would be without her scythe for this confrontation.

She swallowed hard, hoping that she would be able to remember some of the hand to hand combat moves which Yang had taught her back on Patch. Her older sister had once insisted that she become better in unarmed combat, but Ruby had brushed off such suggestions. After all, punching was Yang's thing. Who needed to punch when they had a high-impact sniper rifle scythe?

Apparently she did, now that she was without it.

One of the terrorists lashed out, grabbing Ruby by the arm. Unarmed or not, she was still strong, and her reflexes were still far superior to this man's. She was able to pull away immediately. "Hey, hands off!" she snarled, before squeezing closed a fist and striking the man in the chest.

Her eyes widened when the blow had no effect. Panic surged through her body. She had to try again. She had to fight. She could not be taken by these men!

Ruby swung once more, but this time her attack was blocked by the arm of the White Fang member, and she in turn was struck by a savage blow to the face. Her vision blurred and her head swam, and she fell to the floor in a crumpled heap. The ground was cold. It stank of stale air and concrete.

As she willed herself to move, Ruby saw the boots of the men standing above her. "The boss is gonna want to see this one," one of the men said as he approached. He lifted his foot, and it was clear as day that he was about to bring it crashing down on her head. In her state she could do little to stop it.

Ruby closed her eyes, expecting the worst to come.

It never came.

A cry of pain forced her eyes open. The boot of her assailant was back on the ground now, and he had turned to view the source of the scream. Ruby did the same.

A girl in white stood over the second of the White Fang members, who had been forced down onto his hands and knees by some unseen blow. That was right. Ruby hadn't come alone. The fall and subsequent appearance of the terrorists had forced Melanie from Ruby's mind. She had been with her. She had fallen with her. And now, she was fighting with her.

Melanie's leg lashed out, and the top of her boot drove into the undefended belly of the downed White Fang member, forcing both air and a strained scream from his lungs. He fell onto his side, arms clutching at his injured abdomen as he rolled around on the ground.

"You little..." the other man spat, rushing over to attack the girl he had missed. The girl Ruby had forgotten about.

Where had Melanie been this whole time anyway? Had she also been knocked out, but had taken longer to regain consciousness? Had she never been knocked out to begin with, and had hidden in the shadows in case someone came to investigate the cave in? They were questions which Ruby would want to ask her, but not now. Not when there were foes to face.

As Ruby stood back up on wobbly feet, she saw her de facto partner in action. Ruby may not have been skilled in unarmed combat, but Melanie was. Ruby was useless without her weapon, but Melanie's legs were hers. Even without the bladed heels she wore, she would be able to take on her opponents unhindered. It showed here.

The man swung at her, and Melanie dodged past the blow with the grace of a dancer. With a slight lift of her leg she brought her bladed heel down upon the back of her foe's knee, earning a horrible cry of pain from him as sharpened metal severed flesh and tendons, and his leg gave out from under him. Even on one knee the terrorist turned and attempted to swing at the girl who was still within striking distance. However, without a solid base such an attack had no strength behind it. Melanie blocked this attack with a raise leg, and the fist impacted harmlessly onto her tall, white boot.

With speed which impressed even a girl with Ruby's Semblance, Melanie's leg kicked out once more, this time impacting hard under the man's chin. His head snapped up and he fell backwards without making a sound.

Ruby's hands cupped her mouth. The brutality of the attack shocked her, and the way the White Fang member's head moved, it wouldn't have surprised her of his neck was broken. She looked at the man, hoping that he would move and prove her fears wrong. He did not. However, Ruby had no time to ponder if the man was in fact dead or not.

The other had stirred.

Melanie wasted little time in stomping over next to him, placing a foot on his back as he attempted to haul himself to his feet. She pressed down, forcing the spectacled faunus down onto his belly. He screamed as she drove the stiletto of her boot down into his back, twisting it down into his ribcage.

In the cavernous underground, the echoes of pain were horrendous to hear.

"How many of you are there?" the older girl asked as her boot drove deeper into his back.

Ruby moved over to stand a few feet away from the pair. All the while her eyes were glued onto the face of the man who was pressed down onto the ground. A man, who even behind his mask, she could see was in severe pain.

"Human... scum..." he gritted through clenched teeth.

"Fucking..." Melanie breathed. "You wanna do this the hard way? That's fine." A frightening smile formed on her lips. "I like it hard."

With a slight adjustment of her leg, Melanie removed the stiletto of her boot from the man's back...

And brought the blade down instead.

The scream was perhaps the most horrible thing Ruby had ever heard, as Melanie slowly and deliberately dragged the blade on her heel across the faunus' back. His mouth was agape as unrestrained cries of agony escaped. His fists clenched next to him in pain as they attempted to swat away the offending blade from his back. It was to no avail. Melanie brought her other boot down to stand on one of his wrists, effectively removing the only arm which could reach her in her position.

"How many?" she demanded once more.

"Stop! Please!" he replied.

"Wrong answer!"

The girl applied more pressure, and the screams increased in volume and intensity. It was too much for Ruby to bear. Terrorist or not, she could not just stand by and watch a man being tortured in front of her. What kind of huntress would she be if she allowed this to happen? No, what kind of _human being_ would she be if she continued to bear witness and do nothing?

Crossing the last few feet between them, Ruby placing a hand on Melanie's shoulder. "Melanie, stop!"

Black hair whirled as the other girl turned to look at Ruby. "You want fucking answers or not?"

"Not like this!"

"You think he would have taken it easy on you if I hadn't been here?" Melanie snarled.

"Please!" Ruby pleaded, tugging on the other girl's arm in an attempt to remove her from the man's back. "Just stop!"

Intensity burned in emerald eyes as Melanie looked at her. Anger. Hatred. So much hatred. And yet... she relented. "Whatever," she whispered harshly.

Melanie stepped off of the downed White Fang member, who in turn began to gasp for air as he rolled over onto his side. His arm reached around as best as it could to hold the wounds on his back. He would need medical attention at some point. While not fatal, cuts as long and deep as those could and would become infected without proper treatment.

Without wasting another second, Ruby dashed over to the second downed man who Melanie had dispatched earlier. She put a pair of fingers up to his neck as he lay there. To her relief he still had a pulse. He was still breathing. While she had no idea what the state of his neck was, and if he had perhaps been paralyzed, at least he was alive. Melanie had not killed a man today.

But by the look in her eyes only seconds ago, Ruby thought that it might only be a matter of time.

"He's alive," Ruby breathed with a sigh of relief.

Melanie shrugged. "Whatever."

"You don't care?" the redhead asked in disbelief. "If he had been dead, would you really not care?"

"Why should I? He's a fucking terrorist. I'm sure he's done worse."

"He's still a person!" Ruby argued. She crossed the distance to stand next to Melanie. She had to look up in order to look her in the eyes. "Doesn't that mean anything?"

"I don't know! Did it mean anything when they fucking bombed us and nearly killed me and my sister? Did our lives fucking matter? Would he have cared if Jaune's Semblance didn't unlock and Miltia died? Would he, Ruby? How about if it was your sister? How about if these fuckers tried killing Yang?"

The outburst took Ruby aback. Yes, she was aware of what had happened at the club a few weeks ago. She had been one of the biggest supporters of getting both Jaune and the sisters to Beacon Academy. But since no one had in fact died, she supposed it hadn't been as bad as Melanie portrayed it to be. Ruby hadn't been there, after all. But Melanie had.

And it hadn't been Ruby who had nearly lost her sister.

After a few seconds of silence, Melanie continued. "Yeah, that's what I thought," she said bitterly. "Fuck him. And fuck you too if you're gonna treat him like a person. 'Cause he's not. He's a fucking piece of shit who deserves everything he has coming. They all are."

Ruby knew that she had done the right thing. She knew that life was precious. That preserving life was necessary. And yet, she still felt a little bit guilty. Like she was being insensitive to Melanie's own feelings. Unwilling to see things from her own perspective. That she was being ungrateful to the girl who had in fact just saved her from falling into the clutches of terrorists.

She bit her lip, looking off to the side before speaking. "I'm sorry," she said softly. "I don't know what you've been through. It's just... I don't think torture and murder is okay. There are other ways."

For long seconds Melanie stood there with her hands on her hips. She looked down on the wounded man, who luckily for all parties involved was not making any further attempts at resistance. If Melanie decided to continue with her methods, neither he nor Ruby would be able to stop her. Not without Crescent Rose.

"Tch." The raven-haired girl's head shook softly. "Whatever."

Crisis averted, maybe? In any case it looked as though Melanie was not about to continue her cruel methods on the fallen faunus. Maybe there was an opportunity to do things another way. A better way. Her way.

Ruby moved over to crouch next to the wounded man. It was strange in a way. Only minutes before she had been the one who was on her back as he stood above her. Now their roles were reversed, and he was the one at her mercy. There would be no bladed-heel girl to save him, however.

Perhaps the old 'good cop bad cop' trick could work here. The terrorist had already felt firsthand what Melanie was willing to do. If Ruby could convince him to talk under the threat of unleashing Melanie again, it might just work. Even if she had no intention of ever letting the girl get her hands on him again. Or more specifically, her feet.

She reached out with a hand and nudged his shoulder. "Hey," she said gently. "Are you okay?"

"My back," he strained with pain. "Oh gods, my back."

Ruby couldn't imagine the pain he was in. He could have broken ribs from the point of Melanie's heel driving into them. There were two huge gashes caused by her blades. Perhaps it had been a stupid question to ask if he was okay. But... at least it showed she cared. That was necessary for the good cop role.

"Was it just you two? How many more of you guys are around?"

"And you'd better tell the truth!" Melanie added.

"Melanie!" Ruby yelled.

Knowingly or not, the interruption played right into Ruby's hands. Faced with either the gentle nice girl, or the cruel mean girl, this man knew who he would rather speak to. He knew which would result in less pain.

"It was just us," he admitted. "We were just on patrol around the perimeter. We go in pairs, and they'll be expecting us back at the base soon."

Base. This was it. This was the White Fang operation in the south east. The one they were looking for. If the situation had not been so dire, Ruby would have swelled with pride. She had just blown this mission wide open.

Excitement and eagerness fuelled her forward. "What are you doing there?"

"Loading dust onto a train."

"For what?"

"I-I don't know! That's just what the boss is telling us to do!"

Boss. Ruby's blood ran cold. It could only be one person, but she had to be sure. "Who's your boss?"

"Roman Torchwick. He's in charge of the operation."

Pieces were slowly falling into place. All those months ago, when Ruby had first stumbled upon Roman during a dust shop robbery. Was this what the dust was for? What all of the dust he had stolen was for? Loading it up into a train down here in Mountain Glenn? But then what? What was the end goal here if not for profit?

There was something going on here that was bigger than just lien. Ruby didn't know what it was, but she didn't like it.

Ruby stood back up, filled with new resolve. Filled with anxiety. With duty. "Melanie."

The other girl was a few feet away, her arms crossed across her chest. "What."

"We have to stop them."

"Stop them? Are you kidding me?"

The younger girl frowned and nodded. "You heard him. There's something big going on here. I don't know what exactly, but it's not good. And we're the only ones who know about it."

"Not my problem. I'm not a huntress."

"So? You don't have to be a huntress to do the right thing!" she argued. "Look at Jaune. He got kicked out of Beacon, but he still does the right thing. He still helps people! He helped you two the night he met you, didn't he? And he wasn't a huntsman!"

The tale of how Jaune had bet the Malachite sisters was one he had told before. It still made Ruby feel a little guilty that their plight had been as a result of Yang's actions. Part of her still wanted to feel that the actions were justified. The twins were criminals, after all. And yet at the same time, Ruby knew she couldn't feel that way without being a massive hypocrite. You couldn't just take the law into your own hands because there were people who you believed were bad.

After all, was that not what she had just chastised Melanie for doing herself?

As a huntress Ruby had to be above such methods. A symbol of justice. She had to be a beacon of hope. A light in the darkness. And that was why she must, and would, face the dangers that the White Fang and Roman Torchwick presented here today.

With or without Melanie.

Melanie hadn't answered her question yet, so Ruby took matters into her own hands. "Fine. I'm going whether you like it or not. We'll get these two help once it's over, but I have to do this now. There's no telling how close Roman is to finishing whatever he's doing."

"Without your weapon?"

The words stopped Ruby in her tracks. That's right. Crescent Rose was gone.

And she was useless without it.

Her heart sunk.

"You're gonna do something stupid no matter what, aren't you?"

Ruby wouldn't call doing the right thing stupid. Sure, the situation may not have been ideal, but it wasn't impossible. She could find a way. She _would_ find a way.

"I'm going to do _something_ ," Ruby corrected her. "Because someone has to."

"Fucking..." Melanie breathed as she moved to stand before the girl. "How about we go back and tell your team what we know?"

It made sense. But it also took time. "We don't even know where we are. Or how long it'll take to get back up to the surface."

"And that's totally better than going in unarmed and outgunned." Melanie sighed, looking off to the side. "Look, we're not friends or anything, but it's not like I wanna see you die. That'd suck. Because as much as I hate Yang... no one should have to go through losing their baby sister." She swallowed a lump in her throat. "Not like I almost did."

The words were touching. And unexpected coming from someone like Melanie. Maybe that conversation they had earlier did indeed help them reach an understanding. Maybe it helped them be able to open up to each other a little more like they were now.

"So how about you put your macho huntress bullshit aside, and go get help? Sound like a plan?"

In all honesty, it was the best plan they had. Without Crescent Rose, it was the only plan that could work. Ruby nodded and smiled. "Yeah. That sounds good."

Melanie motioned with her head for Ruby to follow. "Come on, little huntress. Let's get out of this shithole."

Ruby did so without hesitation, following the girl who had saved her out the door and onto the dimly lit street.

And froze.

Melanie had stopped in her tracks as well. "Oh fuck me."

In the distance running down the street was a group of armed White Fang members. They must have heard the screams of their comrades echoing inside that cavernous room. They were sprinting toward the girls, and there was no way they could have not been seen by them.

"Inside!" Melanie shouted as she grabbed Ruby by the hand. "Get the fuck back inside!"

They wasted little time in going back through the doorway, and shut the heavy steel door behind them.

The sight of a dozen men would normally have not been an issue for the young huntress... had she been armed. If Melanie's reaction was anything to go by, it appeared that she didn't think she was up to the task.

Unless they thought of something, all they could do right now was keep their bodies pressed against the door, and hope that it would be enough to keep it shut.

* * *

A primal howl of pain and fury filled his ears as a blade tore through the darkness. As quickly as the creature had come, it had passed. Its life, or whatever one might call its existence, was at an end.

Jaune panted as the corpse of the Beowolf began to disintegrate behind him. It had leapt at him, teeth barred and ready to tear his throat open. A single swipe from Crocea Mors had been enough to put a stop to that. The Grimm's own momentum provided most of the force as cold steel sliced effortlessly through its gaping maw. The beast's head had been bisected, the top portion being cleaved entirely from the rest of its body, leaving the dead thing to tumble harmlessly past the young man.

It hadn't been the first. It would undoubtedly not be the last. Sweat dripped down his face. His lungs gasped for air. His face burned with exertion.

"You okay, kid?"

Jaune looked over to see Junior resting his own club-like weapon over his shoulder. The bodies of two more decaying Beowolves lay at his feet. He hadn't seen the older man dispatch them, but he assumed it had been with ease.

"Yeah," he replied through his gasps for air. "I'm fine.

He and Junior had run into a number of Grimm since being dropped off at Mountain Glenn. The ominous moonlit sky hung over a dull and lifeless city, making everything around them seem to blend together in an ugly and sterile landscape. They seemed to infest the place, and Jaune found it fitting. This cold and foreboding place oozed despair. It screamed hopelessness. Its shattered buildings and eerie silence told the story of its past. A past where thousands had undoubtedly died. More would likely die in its present and future. Jaune was determined to ensure he would not be among them.

More so, he was determined not to let it be Miltia.

It was that single thought which drove him forward. It was that desire which pushed him past his limits. Jaune had never faced the creatures of Grimm before. They were everything he had thought they would be, and more. They were terror incarnate. Shadows given life and form. The manifestation of fear. With baleful glowing eyes and hardened white armor plates, they were a sight which would have sent any normal and rational person running for their lives. Then again, Jaune was hardly a normal or rational person. There was a time he would have willingly chosen this life. He would have chosen to stare down these monsters on a daily basis.

What a fool he had been.

It was much more different than he could have expected. There was no heroism here. There was no glory. It was butchery. Slaughter. Terror. A never-ending tide of darkness. No wonder his father had not wanted him to pursue this path. There was no victory over the Grimm. At least, not any real victory. Only survival. And that in itself was the only kind of victory one could have over the monsters.

"Take a breather," Junior told him as he approached. "Two minutes."

Jaune shook his head. "I'm fine. We have to keep moving."

Mountain Glenn was a massive place. Despite having been here for a couple of hours already, there was still so much more ground to cover. The twins had gotten such a massive head start over the two of them that they could be anywhere.

If they were even still alive, that was.

Jaune clenched his fists. He couldn't think like that. They would be alive. They had to be.

"You can't fight off another pack if you can't even catch your breath," Junior explained. "Two minutes."

"We don't have time!" he yelled back to the man. "Miltia and Melanie could be anywhere and we have to find them!"

"And you can't find them if you're dead."

The boy didn't understand how Junior was so calm. Were these not his girls? Essentially his adopted daughters? Did Junior not just give a whole speech back on the Bullhead about how the one thing a parent wants most is for their children to be happy? Where had that Junior gone?

"I'm not going to die," Jaune stated as he approached his partner. "I'll kill every Grimm out here if I have to!"

He saw the club coming toward him. It was too fast for him to even raise his sword.

Or, he was just too slow.

The impact wasn't all that hard, but it shocked him nonetheless. Jaune was sent tumbling backwards before he fell to the ground. He made a move to stand back up, but the tip of Junior's weapon was pointed down at his chest.

"Sit," the man ordered, as if speaking to a dog. "Stay."

Jaune dared not to challenge one who was pointing a weapon down at him. Even if he knew Junior wouldn't kill him, he wasn't about to escalate the situation any further than it had gone.

Besides, as loathe as he was to admit it, it felt good to get off his feet. His body was tired and weary. He had no idea what time it was, but if he had been back at Beacon he probably would have been asleep by now. It was only adrenaline, and the need to find Miltia which gave him the energy to go on.

It was that thought which made him feel guilty for sitting here. For resting. For doing nothing while his girlfriend might be fighting for her life. Jaune clenched his fists again, and his jaw clenched as he fought the urge to defy Junior once more.

In the end he did just that, only verbally rather than physically. "How can you just sit here and do nothing?"

"I'm not doing nothing."

Jaune shook his head in disbelief. "We could cover another block or two in the time we're taking to rest. That's what I'd call doing nothing."

Junior grunted softly. It was short and dismissive. Like what Jaune had just said had been stupid. "How many missions have you ever been on?"

Missions? As in huntsman missions? Junior undoubtedly already knew the answer to that. "None." However, it didn't make him completely inexperienced. He'd seen his share of fighting before during his time under Junior's employ. "But I've been out a few times with Miltia and Melanie."

The man grunted again. "Went out and cracked a few skulls with the girls. Picked on some lowlifes who were weaker than you. Had a great old time before coming back to the club and celebrating with some drinks. Sound about right?"

More or less. Except for the great time part. Jaune had taken little pleasure in his experiences fighting the White Fang. Especially down at the docks.

He shrugged, averting his gaze from the giant of a man who stood above him. "Yeah."

"It's different when you're going all out," Junior explained. "Grimm are a whole different type of animal. Literally. When you're fighting Grimm, you have to keep your head straight. You can't let your emotions lead you. Because the more reckless you get, the more you let this," he said as he pounded a fist to his heart. "Lead you, the more enemies are going to come. And it's going to fucking do you in eventually. You couldn't even block my attack just now. You really think you can fight off another pack of Beowolves in your condition if more decide to show up?"

Probably not. Maybe a couple. Maybe driven by pure need, he could. But if it was another pack... then no. Jaune knew that he would probably die. As much as he hated to admit it, he knew he needed to catch his breath. After so much walking and fighting, there was only so much a body could take before it gave out.

"You're not in Vale anymore," Junior continued. "There's no rules out here. No cops. No easy way out. You can't just up and run away when the going gets tough. You have to see this thing through to the end. And that means you have to be careful. Like it or not, you can't just rush in. Because yeah, you may take out five Grimm. Ten. A hundred. But there'll always be another one lurking around the corner waiting to get you. All it takes is one fuckup and it's all over for you. And that won't help the girls."

Again, he knew Junior was right. He wondered how the man knew so much. Was all of this wisdom really experience? Was it his former huntsman training? It still boggled Jaune's mind that he was so calm and collected in such a situation. "How are you so calm?" he finally asked. "Aren't you worried about the girls?"

Junior released a breath, and frowned. "Kid, I'm fucking terrified."

It certainly didn't look that way to Jaune. "Then how can you be acting like this? Why aren't you acting like me?"

"Because I'm not thinking about the fear," he explained. "I know I'm scared. Those are my girls out there. I don't need to think about how bad things are to know they are. If I were to let that fear consume me... then we might both be dead by now."

Ignore the fear. Sadly it just wasn't something Jaune could bring himself to do. He was young. Foolish. Inexperienced. Maybe in time he would learn. But hopefully he wouldn't have to. Like he had told Junior, when this was all over he just wanted a normal life. One where he wouldn't be dealing with criminals, terrorists, and especially not Grimm.

Maybe he would even take Miltia back home to meet his family when things were said and done.

If she was alive...

"Two minutes are up," Junior said, thankfully distracting Jaune from the thought. "You ready?"

He had been ready. He nodded and stood up, and his body felt remarkably refreshed after only two minutes of rest. "Let's go."

Jaune wiped an arm across his brow, and thankfully most of the perspiration had dried. A little time off his feet had indeed done him a lot of good. His limbs felt charged, as if filled with electricity. His muscles were like coiled springs waiting to unwind. He felt as though he could take on a hundred Beowolves right here and now. Hopefully it wouldn't come to that.

The long legs of both men took them through the ruins at a quick pace. Concrete crunched under boots as they explored, hoping to find any signs of life in the darkness. Hoping to catch a glimpse of colored clothing in the sea of grey.

"For what it's worth," Junior spoke, breaking the silence. "I appreciate your drive."

Jaune looked over at him. "What?"

"You love her. Only a crazy son of a bitch, or a lovesick one would be this eager to run headfirst into Mountain Glenn."

They said that love did crazy things to people. Maybe the two choices Junior gave him were closer than he realized.

"Yeah," Jaune agreed. "Something like that."

"So don't go fucking everything up and dying here, got it? If you make my baby girl cry because you die, I'll find a way to bring you back to life and then kill you again myself."

Perhaps that was another reason Junior was so adamant on taking a break. About ensuring that Jaune survived here today. For Miltia's sake.

Wait, what had he just said? "Wouldn't you killing me again just make Miltia sadder?"

"Look, it doesn't matter. Just make it out of this shithole alive. Got it?"

For the first time since arriving, Jaune smirked. "Yeah. I planned on it."

"Good."

The sudden skittering of feet on the ground sent a chill down Jaune's spine. He gripped Crocea Mors tightly, and his head moved around as if on a swivel. "Where is it?"

Junior had stopped as well, and hefted his weapon in both hands as he looked around. "Ahead of us. It sounds small, maybe a Creep."

Jaune wasn't familiar with what a Creep was, but it certainly didn't sound appealing.

The noise grew louder and closer with each second, and Jaune held his breath as he anticipated the new Grimm's arrival. His heart pounded inside his skull. It was nearly upon them.

Just a few feet ahead of them, it came running past. On four tiny legs, a small animal skittered past them. It moved from left to right as it passed them, not even bothering to stop or look as it went.

The boy could only stand there in stunned disbelief as it did so. "Was that a Creep?"

It took a few seconds for Junior to respond. "No. That... was a dog."

Of course it was a dog. A very small one. In the middle of Mountain Glenn. By its appearance, probably not a wild or feral one.

"Should we follow it?"

Junior grunted. "Kid, that may have just been the smartest thing you've said all day."

The two men wasted no time in turning the corner and following the little dog as it ran. It took little effort to keep up with its short legs. Then, for the first time since arriving here, they saw a glimmer of hope. A small glimmer of light.

"There's a fire up ahead!" Jaune shouted as they ran.

"I see it. Let's go."

Fire. People. The girls.

Hope.

For the first time since arriving, Jaune felt something other than fear and dread in his heart. He felt hope. Hope that he would find who he was looking for. Hope that both sisters would be alive, and that they'd be able to get out of here.

* * *

Darkness. Panic. Terror.

She felt as though her heart was going to burst inside her chest.

Miltia could hear them getting closer. The howls were sending chills down her spine. Time was running out. They were coming.

The ceiling began to collapse above her.

The rocks were about to hit her.

Miltia woke with a startled breath, her heart pounding in her ribcage.

 _No,_ she had to remind herself. They weren't coming. Not anymore. They were safe now. The tunnels weren't caving in. She was outside. Through the glassless windows she could see the night's sky. She could see the light of the broken moon filtering inside, lending dim illumination to the dying fire near her.

Most importantly, Melanie was with her. Sleeping right next-

Her heart froze when she realized the other occupant of the sleeping bag was gone.

Miltia sat up in a flash, the earlier fears from her nightmare returning to her body. Fear, and something more. Anger. Hate. Emotions she didn't normally feel when her memories returned to haunt her. Feelings she shouldn't have been having in the calm, tranquil night.

She couldn't shake those feelings, either. They had Melanie written all over them.

Sliding out of the bag, she saw how the other girls were still asleep. At least three of them were. Ruby had taken first watch that night, and she was still presumably over at her post keeping an eye out for Grimm. That still begged the question, however. Where was Melanie?

Taking a few soft steps, she went over to Ruby's lookout perch, only to find it empty. Had she switched spots? Had she gone out to patrol the perimeter? Neither seemed likely. Ruby, despite her age, seemed like a responsible young girl. She wouldn't have abandoned her post without any sort of lookout to go on a patrol. Would she?

In any event, real worry was beginning to gnaw inside her. Her normal nightmares about Mountain Glenn were closer to reality now than ever before. Melanie was indeed missing. She had to tell somebody. Even if it seemed childish. Even if she looked foolish. Waking Oobleck up was still the best thing she could come up with.

She moved to find the man, currently nestled in a corner, somehow sleeping in an upright sitting position. She reached out tentatively, hoping that her sudden touch would not startle the huntsman and cause him to react violently.

Before she could make contact, however, she heard a sudden sound enter the camp. Like claws on the concrete. Terror shot through her body. A Grimm, perhaps? A small one of some sort?

In an instant the fear morphed into something different when she heard voices. Not Grimm, then. But who?

She couldn't waste anymore time. She reached out and snatched Dr. Oobleck's coat and began to shake it wildly. The normally hyperactive man was awake in an instant, grogginess in his newly-awoken voice. "W-what? What's going on?"

"Someone's coming!" she whispered harshly. She pointed out in the direction she had heard the noise.

Oobleck wasted no time in standing up and grabbing his coffee thermos. Or, at least she thought it had been. It transformed into something new. Something resembling a weapon. Much like Junior's own, now that she thought about it.

"Girls, wake up," the man's now commanding voice ordered. Around them the three remaining girls of Team RWBY began to stir. Two reached for their weapons, while Yang's already attached gauntlets slid into place as she stood. "Get ready."

Miltia grabbed her own weapon, working hastily to fasten the claws onto her wrists. She was running out of time. They all were. Whoever or whatever was outside was here. Right around the corner. It was...

The tiny furry form of Zwei rushed inside, running up to Yang and bumping his head against her shin. He moved to stand on his hind legs, pressing his front paws up against the blonde's legs while looking up to her face.

"Zwei?" Yang asked. "Where's-"

She never got a chance to finish her sentence before two new figures entered. The last two she would have expected. They both stopped in their tracks to see an array of weapons leveled at them.

Miltia's heart skipped a beat at the sight of an unkempt mop of blonde hair.

"Whoa!" Jaune cried out, suddenly raising his arms in surrender.

"Mister Arc?" Oobleck asked, lowering his weapon. Those around him did the same. "And..."

"Hei?" Miltia said, as if answering the professor's unasked question. "Jaune?"

"Miltia!" Jaune yelled as rushed at her, uncaring about the fact that numerous guns were moments ago pointed in his direction. Grabbing hold of her, he brought her into a tight hug which threatened to crush her, Aura or not. She knew the boy was big and strong, but he had never held her like this before. Not even in the days after saving her life.

For those intense seconds she could barely breathe, but she didn't care. She squeezed him back tightly with all her might as well. "I'm so happy you're okay," he breathed into her ear. His face was buried into her short, smooth hair. A small squeak of surprise escaped her lips as she felt her feet lifted from the ground. Whether he knew it or not, the height difference between the two teens was coming into play as Jaune's posture shifted, bringing her up with him.

As much as she loved the feeling of being in his arms, she knew there were more important things at hand than her own happiness. "Jaune," she spoke softly.

His grip on her did not relent. Neither did his concern. "You shouldn't have run off like that." To her surprise and relief there was no anger in his words. A twinge of sadness, perhaps. However that was to be expected. She had after all made an incredibly stupid and life-threatening decision. "I would have come with you."

She knew he would have. As much of a good strategic decision it might have been, Miltia hadn't been acting on any kind of grand strategy or planning. Her motive had been purely emotional.

"Jaune," she repeated, once more trying to get his attention.

"I don't know what I would have done if you'd been hurt," he continued, once more ignoring her. It was almost funny how his total and consuming concern for her safety and well-being was actually making him ignore her. And the real issue at hand.

Words clearly weren't getting through to him. Not that she could muster many in the bone-crushing embrace of her relieved boyfriend. Desperate to have an actual conversation with him, Miltia did the only thing she could think of.

The tips of her claws gently poked into his back, earning a yelp of surprise and pain from the boy. Her feet dropped back down onto the ground, and Jaune pulled back to reveal a mixture of emotions in his eyes. Relief. Happiness. Love. Worry.

"Mil?" he asked. "What's wrong?"

"Melanie," she finally got to say. "She's missing." Her mind drifted back to her dream. To the emotions she felt after she had woken up. Anger. Hate. Emotions which were nothing new for Melanie. Emotions that felt like the connection she shared with her twin sister due to their Semblance. "I think she's in trouble."

In a flash all traces of joy drained from the boy's face. "What? What happened?"

"I don't know! Ruby's gone too."

"Ruby?" Yang asked from the sidelines. The blonde moved immediately as she began to look around and outside of the encampment.

The others began moving as well. Already armed, Blake and Weiss moved to stand next to Oobleck, as if ready to leave the moment the man gave the word. They did not have to wait long.

"Then we have no time to waste," Oobleck said as he hefted his weapon, before making his way toward the exit. "Your comrades may be in danger. Let's move."

The huntresses didn't need to be told twice, and fell in line behind Oobleck as they exited. But they weren't' the only ones with a missing friend. With a missing sister.

Junior nodded to Miltia as he too moved to join the group. Jaune and Miltia followed after him.

Once upon a time, the thought of working together with huntsmen would have made Miltia sick. Now, however, after meeting Jaune, after meeting Ruby, her opinion of them had begun to change.

And if these huntresses in training helped to find and rescue her sister, Miltia couldn't imagine a world where she would still begrudge the warriors for what happened to her home all those years ago. Perhaps after ten years, what was left of her home would indeed be saved by those charged with the task.

A new sense of resolve filled Miltia as she walked side by side with Jaune and Junior. They would find Melanie and Ruby. And if anything was out there waiting for them, be they man or Grimm, they would be in for a world of hurt. She was after all the self-declared responsible twin. The self-appointed protector of Melanie. The reason they were in this mess to begin with.

Miltia would kill anyone and anything that stood in her way.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Well it's been a while, but this story is back! I blame that short White Knight story I did...

Special thanks go out to **Mike the Remnant Paladin** for his help with this chapter.

And thank all of you for reading. I hope you enjoyed it.


End file.
